The Perils of Penelope Pitstop: Danger at the Dog Show
by DancingAnimalGoddess19
Summary: Penelope Pitstop and the Ant Hill Mob travel to New York to enter Penelope's dog, Angel, in a dog show. Unfortunately, Penelope's guardian, Sylvester Sneekly/ the Hooded Claw follows them with plans to destroy Penelope and gain her fortune. He doesn't care if it interferes with the dog show. Will Penelope be safe? Will Penelope and Angel be ready for the dog show on time?
1. Dog Show Prep Calamity

_When we last saw Penelope, she was traveling with the Ant Hill Mob in New York to prepare her dog, Angel, for a dog show._

While the members of the Ant Hill Mob: Clyde, Yak-Yak, Softy, Dum-Dum, Zippy, Snoozy, and Pockets were driving Chuggaboom down the streets, Penelope Pitstop sat in the back seat, smiling and enjoying the ride while her dog, a beautiful golden retriever/cocker spaniel mix named Angel, was poking her head out Chuggaboom's window. Angel sported a fuchsia collar with a diamond heart dog tag.

_Little did she know that her wicked guardian, Sylvester Sneekly, alias The Hooded Claw…_

Sylvester Sneekly took out a large green hat and cape, flipped his arm and reappeared as the wicked Hooded Claw.

_Had set up a trap to stop Chuggaboom as part of his plan to do Penelope in once more._

"All right, Bully Brothers." The Hooded Claw told his twin henchmen. "Put that nail in front of Chuggaboom. It'll pop one of his tires, stopping those do-gooders."

The Bully Brothers expressed concern. "But the traffic might turn bad. We could get run over."

"Just do it!" Hooded Claw ordered.

"Right Claw." The Bully Brothers fearfully replied as they dashed off.

Chuggaboom kept driving down the streets. Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob were unaware about the nail ahead of them.

Penelope: "Oh, Angel, aren't you just excited about the little ole' dog show? I am!"

Angel gave Penelope a kiss.

"And we'll be there to support you both!" Clyde assured Penelope.

"Please remember, before we go to the dog show, we first need to take Angel to the vet to make sure she's healthy enough to compete." Penelope reminded the mob. "And then we need to take her to the dog groomer. We have two and a half hours til the show and one hour til Angel's vet appointment. Please hurry Snoozy."

"I'm on it." Snoozy replied pressing on the gas.

All of a sudden, Chuggaboom quickly stopped, because the nail the Bully Brothers laid in the road had popped his tire, causing Chuggaboom to accidentally throw Penelope out.

Yak-Yak: "(Chuckling) Look, Clyde. That nail in the road just popped one of Chuggaboom's front tires!"

"Uh, I'll bet the Hooded Claw is at fault for this." Dum-Dum wondered.

"Oh no!" Cried Zippy. "Penelope got tossed out.

From around the corner of a building, the Hooded Claw laughed.

"Any second now, Penelope will land on the hard ground, and she'll end up with much more than just a broken bone, for she won't get up in time before any oncoming vehicle sees her!"

_Oh no! Will Penelope fall and end up with much more than a broken bone, or can the Ant Hill Mob catch her before that happens!_

"Quick you guys!" Clyde ordered. "We've got to catch Penelope before she falls hard!"

"I'll catch Penelope with this extendable butterfly net!" Pockets said, taking out a large butterfly net with a handle that extended long enough to catch Penelope just in time before she could land on the road.

_How lucky! The Ant Hill Mob netted her up in the nick of time!_

"I have heard what a lucky catch I am!" Penelope joked. "But the most important part is that little ole me is safe!"

"Blast!" The Hooded Claw grumbled. "I was so close!"

"This can't be good." Clyde told everyone else. "Chuggaboom has a hole in his roof and he still has a punctured front tire."

"Poor Chuggaboom!" Softy sobbed. "And poor Penelope and Angel! What'll we do now?"

Angel gave a small whimper of worry.

"Don't worry, Angel." Penelope reassured her pup as she gave Angel a gentle scratch behind her ears. "We'll be able to fix Chuggaboom, get you to the vet and groomer's on time, and get you all ready for the dog show."

"Not if I can help it." Laughed the Hooded Claw as he reached in his cape and pulled out a device that looked like a cat figure. "This cat-caller will distract Penelope's mutt, so she won't interfere when the Bully Brothers and I snatch Penelope. I'd use a real cat, but I'm terribly allergic to them."

_Meanwhile, the Ant Hill Mob is still debating on what to do about Chuggaboom. They'd better think fast if they're gonna get to the vet._

Dum-Dum: "Uh, what are we gonna do?"

Zippy: "We can't just stand there. Penelope's gotta get Angel to the vet."

"I'll take care of this." Pockets told the others as he pulled a spare tire out of his pocket and replaced Chuggaboom's punctured tire with the spare tire.

_What a relief for Chuggaboom_

The Hooded Claw stepped out of the corner of a building and blew into his cat-calling device like a whistle. The cat-caller started making cat meows.

_But the opposite of a relief Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob, but mostly Angel, who thinks there's a cat around the block._

The sound of the fake cat meows caught Angel's attention. She starting growling and barking, and then ran after the sound of the fake cat meows, causing Penelope to let her leash go.

"Oh, Angel, no!" Penelope cried as she chased after her dog. "Come back here!"

"Don't worry Penelope!" Clyde called out. "We won't leave without you or your dog!"

The Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers were in an alley setting a fishnet trap and covering it with leaves.

Hooded Claw: "I think that's her, Bully Brothers! Follow me."

The Bully Brothers did as they were told and hid with the Hooded Claw behind a fence. Penelope was still looking for Angel, unaware of the trap.

"Angel!" Penelope called out. "Where are you? We need you to come back!"

Penelope ran on the leaves and then found herself being closed in the fishnet trap set by the Hooded Claw, who laughed evilly as she got caught in the trap.

"The Hooded Claw!" Penelope gasped. "What are you doing here!?"

"Isn't it obvious, Miss Pitstop?" The Hooded Claw replied with sarcasm "I'm here to get rid of you for life!"

The Bully Brothers took the closed net holding Penelope and threw it in the back of a black van that the Hooded Claw was about to drive.

Angel found the Hooded Claw and Bully Brothers capturing Penelope and chased after the black van the Hooded Claw was driving, barking and snarling.

Hooded Claw: "Blast! Stupid dog. But no matter. I have a little something that will keep that hound in her place."

With a sinister grin, the Hooded Claw reached in his cape and pulled out a small container of glue. He then poured the glue into the street, trapping Angel, who whimpers as the Hooded Claw drove away.

_Poor Angel is stuck like glue and forced to watch that fiend drive away with Penelope! That old snake!_

Angel barked and howled loudly for the Ant Hill Mob to come.

_Keep barking, Angel, because the Ant Hill Mob can hear you!_

The Ant Hill Mob heard Angel's barks.

Clyde: "I know that bark! It belongs to Angel! Quick, Chuggaboom, we gotta find get to her!"

"Y-y-yeah!" Chuggaboom replied as he sped off.

The mob reached Angel's location and saw the poor dog stuck in the Hooded Claw's puddle of glue, barking and whimpering.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggling) Look, Angel's paws are glued to the road!"

The mob ran up to Angel, who barked and whimpered as her way of explaining what happened to her and Penelope.

"So the Hooded Claw's got Penelope?" Clyde asked Angel.

Angel nodded and whimpered.

"That foul fiend!" Clyde muttered. "We gotta save her, but after we save you from this glue, girl."

"Leave that to me." Said Pockets pulling out an extendable device with two hands and a large, strong pair of extendable scissors. He handed Clyde the scissors and used the hand device to hold Angel up.

Clyde successfully cut the glue off of all four of Angel's paws, and then Pockets gently set Angel down on the ground and away from the glue puddle.

_Thanks to Pocket's devices and gadgets, Angel is no longer stuck like glue and can lead the Ant Hill Mob to Penelope's rescue!_

"Uh, now that you're free, Angel, can you tell us where Penelope is?" Dum-Dum asked Angel.

Angel sniffed Penelope's scent in the air, barked, and pointed straight across like the Pointer dog breed.

Clyde: "So Penelope's straight across. Lead the way and we'll follow you, Angel."

The Ant Hill Mob hopped in Chuggaboom, who followed Angel on the trail to wherever the Hooded Claw had taken Penelope.


	2. A Post Peril at the Old Hotel

_Well I hope Angel's nose leads her to Penelope on time, because at this very moment the Hooded Claw has taken poor Penelope to an old abandoned hotel. Heaven only knows what fate awaits her._

At an old abandoned hotel far from where the Ant Hill Mob and Angel were earlier, the Hooded Claw was busy tying Penelope up to a post. As he tied Penelope, he got tight with it, making Penelope flinch.

"Ouch!" Penelope cried, her wrists tied behind her back, her waist tied around the post right below her chest and her ankles tied. "Not so tight, Claw! That really hurt!"

"Don't complain, Pitstop." The Hooded Claw replied. "In a few moments you won't be dealing with how _tightly_ I tied you."

"What exactly is your plan, you fiend!?" Penelope asked in a serious tone of voice.

"Since you're ever so curious, allow me to explain, darling. If you'll notice, Penelope, I just got done tying you to this post at this old hotel." The Hooded Claw explained. "Attached to this very post, is a time bomb. In as little as fifteen minutes, the bombs will go off, and will cause the ceilings on the top floors of the hotel to collapse and fall on you, squishing you like a bug for good!"

The Hooded Claw laughed evilly at this.

"You foul fiend!" Penelope scowled. "Your plan will never work, just like all the rest of your attempted perils."

"You negative Nellie." The Hooded Claw taunted Penelope. "The glass is either half full or it's completely empty. This plan will work. I'll see to that. Au Revoir, Pitstop!"

The Hooded Claw gave an evil laugh and walked out of the hotel.

_Penelope, you only have fifteen minutes til those bombs go off. The sooner you devise a plan the better._

Penelope: "I know what I'll do. If I can call Angel and whistle for help, she just might be able to hear me. Luckily I trained her to be a rescue dog for these situations, so she'll know what to do! Here it goes."

Penelope gave a loud whistle and then another.

"Angel!" Penelope shouted for her dog. "Angel! Here girl!"

_Don't stop your whistles and dog-calling, Penelope, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob hear you loud and clear!_

The Ant Hill Mob and Angel heard Penelope whistling and calling Angel's name.

Dum-Dum: "That sounds like Penelope!"

Clyde: "That's because that is Penelope you Dum-Dum!"

Penelope kept whistling and calling Angel's name until the Hooded Claw quickly returned to where she was, pulling out a light blue scarf from his cape.

"Oh no you don't." The Hooded Claw grinned as he gagged Penelope with the blue scarf. "I'll just make sure that even your rescue mutt can't come!"

Penelope struggled to move her head to keep the Hooded Claw from gagging her, to no avail. The gag was as well tied as the ropes.

"Don't worry. That blue gag still matches what you're wearing. Farewell, for real, Pitstop!" The Hooded Claw laughed as he exited the hotel again, leaving poor Penelope tied and gagged and struggling.

_Don't give up, Penelope, the Ant Hill Mob and Angel are coming for you._

"We're coming for you, Penelope!" Softy sobbed.

Angel sniffed Penelope's scent in the air again and barked.

"Where is she, Angel?" Zippy asked. "Where is she?"

Angel went to her pointer dog position and pointed left.

Clyde: "So she's around the left corner. Keep leading us Angel, and we'll make it there on time."

The Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers emerged from the corner outside of another building on the left where Angel was pointing.

"I on the other hand will make you don't make it there at all." Chuckled the Hooded Claw. "And I know how: I'll misguide them with my impressions."

The Hooded Claw cleared his throat.

"Help! Help!" The Hooded Claw shouted impersonating Penelope's voice. "The Hooded Claw's got me trapped! Help, please!"

"Penelope must be by one of those buildings!" Clyde wondered. "Either way we're here for you, Penelope! Where are you?"

"I'm over here, boys!" The Hooded Claw shouted in his impersonation of Penelope's voice. "He's trapped me by this red building."

"Stay where you are, Penelope!" Clyde called out. "We're on our way! Come on Chuggaboom!"

_Oh no! The Ant Hill Mob fell for the Hooded Claw's wicked trick._

The Ant Hill Mob dashed off in Chuggaboom, but Angel stayed where she was with a dirty look.

_But Angel's certainly not falling for it. Good girl._

Angel dipped her paws in some red paint so that the Ant Hill Mob would be able to find her,sniffed Penelope's scent and ran quickly as she followed it.

_Hurry Angel! Run very quickly. Penelope may not have much time left with those terrifying time bombs!_

Back in the hotel, Penelope was still bound and gagged. She was struggling to break free and struggling to remove her gag by rubbing her cheek on her shoulder. She had no such luck doing so.

Fortunately for Penelope, Angel found the abandoned hotel and quickly ran inside, still on the trail for Penelope.

Penelope's scent led Angel to the area where Penelope was tied to the post and gagged. Angel barked to get Penelope's attention.

Angel's bark made Penelope's head shoot up.

_True to her rescue dog training, Angel wastes no time in racing up to Penelope to get her loose._

Angel ran up to Penelope and the first thing that she did was remove Penelope's gag, using her teeth to untie the knot of the gag.

"Oh thank you Angel!" Penelope praised her pup as she took a deep breath.

Angel tried to untie the knots of the rope with her teeth. It worked a little, but it did not untie Penelope because the ropes were very well-tied.

_I hate to say this Penelope but your dog untying your bonds with her teeth may not get the job done on time. You only have a few minutes left!_

"Good point. I really don't have much time left and neither will Angel!" Penelope worried as she looked around the area for an alternative plan to escape. "There must be another way to…"

She then found scattered glass pieces of a broken window.

"I got it!" Penelope grinned.

She then turned to her dog.

"Angel." Penelope told Angel. "See those pieces of that broken glass window? Please do get me a piece, and be careful not to cut your paw."

Angel went to where the broken window pieces were and pushed a large piece behind Penelope with her paw.

"Good girl, Angel! We need to work together on this getaway. You untie my ankles with your teeth and I'll get rid of these bonds with this piece! I do hope it's sharp enough."

_Teamwork is the way to go, indeed. But be very quick now or you both will go!_

Angel untied the knots of the ropes wrapped around Penelope's ankles and Penelope, despite her tied wrists held the glass piece in her hand and used it to cut the ropes wrapped around her waist and wrists. The ropes were no longer tied around Penelope.

"I'm free! Thank goodness"

_You may be free but those bombs are about to go off! _

"I'll take care of them." Penelope smiled as she took off her glove, lightly licked two fingers and stopped the bombs on time by pinching the spark with her fingers.

"Nice work, girl!" Penelope happily cried as Angel jumped into her arms. "We're safe! And the building is safe for that matter."

All of a sudden, they heard Clyde's voice calling Penelope's name.

"Penelope!" Clyde called out.

Pockets: "Penelope!"

_You'd better go out there and tell the Ant Hill Mob that you're safe_

Penelope: "I'm just about to. Come on Angel. We can't leave the Ant Hill Mob waiting and worried. And we need to get you to the vet right away!"

Penelope grabbed Angel's leash and left the hotel with Angel.

Dum-Dum: "Uh, where are you, Penelope?"

"I'm over here, boys!" Penelope called out as she walked out of the hotel with Angel. "Can you see me?"

The Ant Hill Mob turned and were delighted to see the real Penelope and not the Hooded Claw's phony impression of her.

"Penelope!" The mob shouted with joy!

"To think we'd never see you again!" Softy sobbed.

"How did y'all find me?" Penelope asked the Ant Hill Mob.

"We heard you calling for help." Pockets replied. "But it wasn't your real voice. It was the Hooded Claw trying to lure us away."

"We tried to find you, but we had no luck, no luck." Zippy said.

"But then we saw that Angel left a trail of her red paw-prints to the old abandoned hotel where you were." Dum-Dum finished.

"How convenient for finding me!" Penelope giggled. "It's a good thing Angel's getting a bath later."

"How did you manage to get out?" Clyde wondered.

"It was all thanks to not only my knowledge, but to Angel." Penelope replied and turned to pet her pup. "She has such a great sense of smell and I trained her to be a rescue dog very well. Either that, or I chose the right day to wear my favorite perfume!"

Penelope gave Angel a dog biscuit that was in her coat pocket. Angel took the treat then she hugged herself, jumped in the air and gently floated back down. This made Penelope giggle.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggles) Angel still needs to get to the vet and fast!"

Penelope became worried. "Yes! We can't be late."

Penelope get into Chuggaboom's back seat with Angel.

"Please do get us to the vet right away Chuggaboom." Penelope told Chuggaboom.

"R-r-right!" Chuggaboom said as he drove off.

The Hooded Claw came back and watch Chuggaboom drive away with Penelope, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob.

"Blast." The Hooded Claw growled. "Pitstop's mutt just _had _to save the day! But no matter, I'll make sure even that dog doesn't outsmart or stop me!"


	3. The Vet A Kidnapping and a Dognapping

_Thank goodness. Our heroes got Angel straight to the vet on time. As a matter of fact, they got here rather earlier than they planned._

At the veterinary clinic, a Penelope held Angel's leash while waiting with the Ant Hill Mob at the clinic's waiting room.

Suddenly, a nurse with a red bun and long white nurse's dress and cap came out and asked for Penelope's name.

"Miss Pitstop and Angel?"

"Why yes." Penelope answered as she stood up and scooped Angel up in her arms.

The nurse led Penelope and her dog into the vet's examination room where they waited for the vet.

Angel gave a whimper of fear.

"Don't worry Angel." Penelope whispered as she stroked her dog's fur. "No one will hurt you here."

A veterinarian with dark hair, glasses and a white doctor's lab coat and stethoscope came in and greeted Penelope.

Vet: "Good afternoon, Miss Pitstop."

Penelope: "Why good afternoon, Doctor."

"And this must be Angel. And she is here so that I can see if she's healthy enough to compete in the dog show this afternoon." The vet said as he gently lifted Angel from Penelope's arms and onto the examination table. "Is that correct."

"It sure is, doctor." Penelope replied with a smile going to stand by Angel and hold her to put her at ease.

"First I'll need to have a good listen to see how her heart is." The vet told them as he listened to Angel's heart with his stethoscope.

Vet: "Angel's heart sounds good."

He took out an otoscope (the tool doctors use to look in patients' ears) and used it to look into Angel's ears.

"Her ears look very healthy." The vet told Penelope.

"You're such a brave girl, Angel." Penelope told her pup, gently scratching Angel behind the ears.

The vet then took an ophthalmoscope (the tool doctors use to look in patients' eyes) and looked into Angel's blue eyes with it.

"Her eyes have no problems and they are quite a lovely blue color." The vet complemented on Angel's blue eyes.

"You're doing so good Angel." Penelope reassured her pup. "Just let the vet keep doing what he needs to do to make sure you're in the best of health. It won't take long."

The vet checked Angel's temperature and pulse, and then opened the dog's mouth to check her teeth.

"You're dog is healthy enough to compete in the show and is free to go, Miss Pitstop." The vet announced as he handed Angel back to Penelope. "Good luck to the two of you at the dog show."

"Thank you so much." Penelope replied as she walked out of the exam room with Angel in her arms. "Y'all take care now."

"How did she do, Penelope?" Clyde asked as he went up to Penelope and Angel with the rest of the Ant Hill Mob.

"She was nervous at first but she was a good girl and a trooper." Penelope smiled while looking at her pocket watch. "I'm so happy we got here early, and from what that clock says, we pretty much got done early too."

Suddenly, a veterinary surgeon wearing white old-fashioned surgical attire, white protective gloves, a doctor's cap and a surgical mask arrived and stopped in front of Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob.

"Excuse me, Doctor, but who might you be?"

"My name is Dr. Do-In-Fairchild, Veterinary surgeon." The surgeon introduced himself.

Little did the heroes know that the surgeon was the Hooded Claw in disguise.

"I would like to examine your dog, please Miss Pitstop." The "surgeon" requested.

"But the vet we just saw said that she was in good health for the show." Penelope was confused.

"Yes but it's important that I check for any injuries or illnesses that may need operating on." Replied the "surgeon."

"Such as what, doctor?" Penelope asked.

"Any defects, diseases, broken bones or torn muscles." Replied the "surgeon." "After all she must be in complete health to compete."

Penelope: "That is true. If you must check my dog for any of that stuff, I'll be happy to allow you to do so."

"Thank you my dear." The surgeon said. "I'll have my surgical assistants bring your dog into the exam room in the back."

The "surgeon" turned his head.

"Help me bring Angel to the examination room in the very back, please." The surgeon ordered.

"Right, Doctor." Replied the "assistants", who were really the Bully Brothers in disguise.

The surgeon lifted Angel out of Penelope's arms and onto a gurney.

"I'll need you to wait out here while we examine your dog." The surgeon told Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob as he and the "assistants" took Angel into the back room.

Once the "doctors" were alone with Angel in the back room, they quickly whipped off their disguises and appeared once again as the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers, shocking Angel.

The Hooded Claw gave a sinister laugh as he carried Angel in his arms and escaped through the window with the Bully Brothers, who looked confused about his plan.

_Oh no! That hooded doctor of do-badding in has made off with Angel! But he seems to have forgotten Penelope. I wonder why._

Hooded Claw: "I did not forget her, you ding-bat! I still need Pitstop, but not immediately."

"Why did you get Penelope's dog and not Penelope?" They asked in unison. "She's the one you're after."

"Yes, but this is part of my trap." The Hooded Claw explained. "I'm gonna use Penelope's mutt, Angel as bait for the trap. When Pitstop comes and stops to save her pup, we'll capture her!"

Angel barked and growled at her dognappers.

Penelope heard the sound of her dog barking and growling, and so did the Ant Hill Mob.

Penelope: "That sounds like Angel. Come with me fellas."

The Ant Hill Mob followed Angel into the back exam room and were shocked to find the window open and Angel no longer in the room.

"Oh no!" Penelope gasped. "Angel!"

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) Angel's been dognapped!"

"Uh, I wonder who took her away." Dum-Dum wondered.

Clyde: "Only one person I can think of."

"The Hooded Claw." Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob said together.

They once again heard Angel barking and whimpering. The noise was coming from outside and in another alley around the corner.

"Keep on barking pretty puppy." The Hooded Claw laughed as he tied Angel's fuchsia collar with rope that was tied to the post of a phone line. "We can hardly wait for Pitstop to come to you, _and _to me."

The Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers heard Penelope calling Angel's name.

"Speak of the devil." Grinned the Hooded Claw. "Alright, Bully Brothers. Climb those building stairs and stay out of sight. When I give the signal, drop that cage on Pitstop."

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers answered as the climbed the stairs.

Hooded Claw: "Good. And remember, no mistakes, or else!"

"Or else what, Claw?" The Bully Brothers asked nervously.

"Or else I'll chop your heads off." The Hooded Claw threatened, making a slashing motion across his neck with his finger.

"There's the trap and Pitstop's pretty little pooch is the bait." The Hooded Claw smiled wickedly as he hid in a garbage can in the alley.

_In search of her dognapped dog, Penelope searches the alley, unaware of the trap and the danger that awaits her, and maybe Angel, even._

"Angel!" Penelope called for her dog, walking in the alley. "Where could you be, girl?"

When she saw her tethered pup whimpering and barking, Penelope felt nervous and worried.

"Oh, Angel you poor puppy!" Penelope cried as she walked to her tied-up dog. "Did that hooded fiend do this to you?"

Angel nodded and whimpered.

"I'll have you out in a little ole jiffy." Penelope reassured Angel.

Angel then became nervous and she barked to warn Penelope about the trap.

"But Angel, I need to get you free." Penelope told Angel as she started to untie the rope around Angel's collar.

_But Angel's trying to tell you something important._

The Hooded Claw rose up from the garbage can and turned to the waiting Bully Brothers.

"Now, Bully Brothers." He told his henchmen.

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers answered back, holding a cage.

_Penelope, look out!_

As soon as Penelope untied Angel and scooped her up in her arms, The Bully Brothers dropped a cage on Penelope, trapping both her and Angel.

"Oh dear!" the caged Penelope cried. "I should've known this was a little ole trap!"

"But if you knew, Pitstop, it wouldn't be much fun now, would it?" The Hooded Claw laughed, catching Penelope and Angel's attention.

"Oh, not you again, you fiend!" Gasped Penelope. "So you're that veterinary surgeon! Don't y'all realize it's illegal to impersonate a doctor?"

"Illegal is my middle name, my dear." The Hooded Claw replied with an arrogant smile.

As he walked close to Penelope, Angel snarled at him.

Hooded Claw: "Now to take you away from this old alley to do away with you my pretty, and your little dog, too. Take them away, Bully Brothers."

"Yes, sir." The Bully Brothers replied as they lifted the cage holding Penelope and Angel and dashed off with the Hooded Claw.

_Once again the Hooded Claw makes off with Penelope and Angel and takes them to whatever fate awaits them, wherever it could be._

Meanwhile the Ant Hill Mob was outside in the city looking for Penelope and Angel, when they heard Angel's barking and howling for help.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) Listen, Clyde. Angel's barking and howling for help."

"Those barks remind me of my childhood dog, Sparky." Softy sobbed.

Snoozy: "Yeah, Sparky. (Snore)"

"Those barks and howls mean that Angel needs help." Clyde told the others.

They also heard Penelope calling for help.

"Hey-elp! Hey-elp!"

"And Penelope's in trouble for that matter!" Said Pockets.

Zippy: "The Hooded Claw's got her, got her again!"

"Oh, not again." Clyde worried. "We've got to find her, _and _Angel. Quick, Chuggaboom. Go find help us find them."

Chuggaboom sniffed out both Penelope and Angel's scents and drove off with the Ant Hill Mob inside.

_Nice work, Chuggaboom! You've definitely got good sniff and search skills, and you must've learned a thing or two from Angel. Please do get to Penelope and Angel on time. I hate to think of what that fiend has planned for Penelope and what he could do to a poor dog for that matter._

**_Note: This Fan-Fic is dedicated in Loving Memory of Gary Owens (May 10, 1934-February 12, 2015)_****_, who starred as the off-screen narrator. Rest in Peace, Mr. Owens. I hope that your fellow co-stars in "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop," Paul Lynde (Sylvester Sneekly/The Hooded Claw), Mel Blanc (The Bully Brothers, Chuggaboom, and Yak-Yak), Don Messick (Dum-Dum, Snoozy, Pockets, and Zippy) and Paul Winchell (Clyde and Softy) were there to greet you! That means Janet Waldo (Penelope Pitstop) is the only surviving voice actor/actress of "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop."_**


	4. A Sandy Setback

_Meanwhile, in the corner of Central Park, poor Penelope is held tightly by the Bully Brothers while the Hooded Claw prepares her next not-so-great fate._

In an empty corner in Central Park, The Bully Brothers held Penelope tight across a large glass box that the Hooded Claw stood next to.

Angel was trapped in a crate and her collar was tied with rope that was tied to a bar in the crate.

_And poor Angel is once again trapped, to boot._

"What wicked plan have you planned in Central Park you crafty old fox!?" Penelope frowned.

"I'll be glad to tell you all the details, Pitstop." The Hooded Claw replied with a sneer.

"If you'll notice we're in an empty, quiet spot in Central Park, which makes it perfect for my plan so that no one will notice or get suspicious." He explained to Penelope. "As soon as I'm done telling you about my scheme you'll be locked up in this big glass box you see before your very eyes…"

"Being trapped in a glass box can't be that bad, Claw." Penelope interrupted The Hooded Claw.

"But there's more to that, princess, so don't interrupt me." The Hooded Claw warned Penelope.

"Once you're locked up in the glass, a large amount of sand will pour, operated by a weasel chasing a frog on a treadmill in an attempt to eat he frog for lunch." The Hooded Claw continued. "The more the weasel runs on the treadmill to try to catch our froggy friend, the more sand will fall, suffocating you for good!"

The Hooded Claw gave an evil laugh after his explanation.

"I'll bet the weasel and the frog are in those boxes." Penelope wondered as she looked at two small brown boxes. "Where exactly did you get them?"

"From the Central Park Zoo." The Hooded Claw answered. "What else?"

Penelope: "Why you animal-poaching-and-abusing son of a…"

"Hey, watch your language!" The Hooded Claw cut her off. "Children could be watching this!"

"What do y'all intend to do to my dog?" Penelope asked sternly. "Don't even lay a hand on her!"

"Not to worry, my child." The Hooded Claw sarcastically reassured her as he pulled out a weasel from a box. "I may be an evil villain but I have my limits when it comes to dogs."

"So you're just gonna leave my poor little ole puppy behind!?" Penelope scowled. "You wicked cad!"

"You're too kind." The Hooded Claw mocked Penelope.

"Hope you enjoy your experience, miss Penelope." The Bully Brothers said as they pushed Penelope into the glass box.

Penelope attempted to run out of the box but the Hooded Claw closed the door and locked it.

"Sorry Pitstop but there's no way out." The Hooded Claw grinned evilly as he held the weasel.

He then turned to the Bully Brothers.

Hooded Claw: "I've got the weasel ready. Tie our frog up and I'll place our weasel on the treadmill for a good old chase."

"Right, Claw." Said the Bully Brothers as they took the frog out of the box and tied a small piece of rope around its waist to a hook ring across the treadmill.

The Hooded Claw tied a small piece of rope around the weasel's waist to another hook ring and placed the weasel on the treadmill. The weasel spotted its amphibian prey and began to chase it, causing some sand to fall on Penelope.

_Oh no! The weasel has spotted its prey and the sand is raining down on Penelope._

Penelope desperately banged on the glass.

"Let me out of here!" She shouted. "Get me out of here! You can't do this! Let me out!"

Unfortunately, neither the Hooded Claw nor the Bully Brothers could hear her, and the Hooded Claw just laughed at her.

"What's that, Pitstop?" He taunted Penelope. "I can't hear a little ole thing you're saying!"

"He can't hear a little ole thing I'm saying." Penelope worried. "There's got to be another way out."

_I hope you can think of something Penelope._

She studied the glass and was busy thinking of something.

Penelope: "It seems like a long shot, but if I can find some little ole way to break the glass, I might get free."

_How will you manage that, Penelope?_

"Simple." Penelope smiled. "If I can simply use my high heeled boot and stomp on the glass with it. I might have a chance of cracking it. Here I go."

Penelope struggled through the sand and used the high heel of her boot to kick the back of the box, but it did not crack.

_I'm not so sure your heels will be enough, that sand is pouring down like no tomorrow._

Angel looked on with worry from her cage, but Penelope refused to give up.

"I have to keep trying." Penelope showed determination.

_Yes, keep trying Penelope, because the Ant Hill Mob is hot on the trail for you._

Chuggaboom was still on the trail for Penelope and Angel when he spotted their location.

"I think Chuggaboom knows where Penelope and Angel are." Softy wept.

"I think you're right, Softy." Said Clyde. "Pockets, take out your telescope and a ladder. Zippy, you take it from there."

"Right Clyde, right." Zippy answered back as Pockets took out a telescope and a ladder.

"Be very careful not to fall!" Clyde called to Zippy.

"I'll be careful Clyde, I'll be careful."

Zippy took the telescope and climbed the ladder. He looked into the telescope.

"Did you see her, Zippy?" Clyde called out from Chuggaboom. "Where is she?"

"I see her, Clyde." Zippy replied as he saw Penelope still using her heel to break out of the glass and the sand coming down. "There she is. She's in Central Park, trying to break out of a glass box with sand raining on top of her and filling the box."

Zippy then saw Angel tethered in the cage.

"And Angel's there, too." He told the others. "She's stuck in a cage. A cage she's stuck in."

Clyde: "Well in that case, we need to get to Central Park right away, before that sand suffocates Penelope. Chuggaboom, take us to Central Park, and fast"

R-r-r-ready!" Said Chuggaboom as he drove off to the park.

_Meanwhile, back in Central Park, Penelope is up to her knees in the sand, but is still working hard to break the glass, but will it be enough?_

Penelope kept kicking the glass until she made a small crack.

_Nice work Penelope, but that little crack isn't enough to break the glass and set you free._

Penelope: "This is just the beginning. If I can just keep kicking, even though the sand's getting deeper and deeper, perhaps the crack in the glass will get bigger."

Penelope kicked the back of the glass box with her heel three more times. The weasel was running fast, making the sand pour even faster.

As she made her last kick, Penelope was now up to her elbows in the sand.

"I sure hope the glass breaks on time." She thought with nervousness.

_I hope so, too, Penelope. But not to worry, the Ant Hill Mob has found you and Angel, to boot._

The Ant Hill Mob finally arrived in Central Park and heard Angel barking.

Clyde: "We made it, guys, and I hear Angel. Follow those barks.

The Ant Hill Mob followed Angel's barking to the corner of the park where Penelope was now up to her shoulders in the sand.

Angel barked as her way of telling the Ant Hill Mob what's happening and as soon as Penelope saw the Ant Hill Mob, she knocked on the glass to get their attention.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggling) Penelope's about to sink in the sand."

Zippy: "And look up. A weasel chasing a frog is up there."

"We need to find a way to stop that weasel and save Penelope." Clyde told the rest of the Mob. "Zippy, you go up there to snatch that weasel. Pockets, go with him to save that frog. The Rest of us will save Penelope and Angel."

_You fellas still need to stop that weasel and frog but there's a chance Penelope might make it out of the glass on her own. For at this very moment the crack in the glass is spreading and just might break open on time to save our girl._

The crack in the back of the box got bigger from the large amount of times Penelope kicked it.

Zippy untied the frog, but the frog stood still in its tracks fearfully while the weasel ran faster, leaving poor Penelope up to her chin in the sand.

Penelope: "I may have to keep my little ole eyes closed for a while."

"Go to the other side and take care of that weasel, Zippy." Pockets told Zippy.

Fortunately, the frog saw a dragonfly flying by and chased after it, while Pockets used scissors to cut the rope holding the weasel.

The weasel started to chase after the frog, but Zippy caught the weasel on time and put it in its box.

_Nice going, Zippy. The weasel is now boxed._

The glass broke and Penelope fell out with the sand on her knees, coughing it up.

_And not a moment too soon. Penelope is free and out of the sand._

Clyde and Softy ran up to Penelope.

"Are you okay, Penelope?" Clyde asked worried as he rubbed Penelope's back.

"I'm alright, fellas." Penelope replied as she coughed up more sand and took deep breaths. "That was a close one. But I'm glad we all worked together on this."

"Yes." Clyde smiled. "Teamwork is the best rescue strategy of all."

Penelope ran up to the cage holding Angel, took a hair pin from her hair, unlocked the cage with her hair pin, and untied Angel.

_And our soon-to-be dog show star is free, too._

Angel ran into Penelope's arms and licked her cheek.

"You're free now girl and we're safe again." Penelope smiled.

She then saw Dum-Dum holding the frog.

"Uh, what should I do with this frog?" Dum-Dum asked.

"Can I have it, please, Dum-Dum?" Penelope asked sweetly.

"Sure, Penelope." Dum-Dum replied as he handed the frog to Penelope. "But what for?"

Penelope: "This."

She then kissed the frog on the top of his head.

"Thank you for chasing that dragonfly and making that weasel stop the trap." She praised the frog after she kissed him.

_Aww, isn't that sweet, Penelope? Too bad that frog didn't turn into a prince._

"That's okay." Penelope smiled a sweet smiled. "My heart already belongs to a kind, handsome man back at home named Peter." (Guess who she's referring to? Wink, wink!)

"And we're still early according to my pocket watch." Said Clyde as he held a pocket watch. "We should get to the groomers soon."

"Yes we should, but after we get some lunch." Penelope agreed as she hopped in Chuggaboom's back seat with Angel in her arms. "I'm getting a bit hungry and because it's still early, I'd like to work on our training for the dog show."

Clyde: "It's a great idea, Penelope. Let's get something to eat, Chuggaboom."

"Y-y-yeah!" Said Chuggaboom as he drove away.

The Hooded Claw emerged from behind a tree with the Bully Brothers, watching in disgust as Chuggaboom drove away again.

"Blast." He hissed in frustration. "Foiled by not only Pitstop, but those pint-sized pea-brains the Ant Hill Mob."


	5. When in Doubt, Trap Her in the City

_So now that they're out of Central Park and out of the Hooded Claw's treacherous clutches, Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob can enjoy some delicious post-lunch dessert._

Outside of a fancy-looking café in the city, Penelope was enjoying a small glass of vanilla ice cream, topped with hot fudge, a small dab of whipped cream and a cherry, the Ant Hill Mob was enjoying a banana split for themselves.

_While Angel dines on her own lunch meant for dogs._

Angel ate a bowl of kibble by the table Penelope was dining at.

"This hot fudge sundae is by far one of my favorite little ole desserts." Penelope smiled. "And luckily Angel passed the 'no begging' part of obedience school with flying colors!"

"How's your dessert, boys?" Penelope asked the Ant Hill Mob.

"It tastes great!" Clyde replied with a smile. "It was a great idea to save room for dessert!"

"Oh yes." Penelope giggled.

_No one is aware that the Hooded Claw is still on the hunt for Penelope, and he's waiting up in the air to find her and make his next move._

The Hooded Claw was in a hot air balloon trying to find Penelope in the city.

Hooded Claw: "Okay Bully Brothers, I need you to keep lookout for Penelope and see where she is."

The Hooded Claw then heard snoring. He turned his head and saw the Bully Brothers sleeping back-to-back.

"Blast!" He growled in an annoyed voice. "They fell asleep on the job. I hate when they do that!"

He then searched his cape and pulled out a bugle.

"Hopefully this bugle call will wake my soldiers and put them back into shape." The Hooded Claw grinned.

He then blew into the bugle, which started making bugle calls that startled the Bully Brothers awake, causing them to run and crash into each other.

"Hey, watch where you're going you klutz!" The first Bully Brother said angrily as he kicked the other Bully Brother to the ground.

"You're the one who should watch where you're going!" Argued the second Bully Brother got up and bopped the other Bully Brother on the head.

Bully Brother 1: "I did watch where I was going!"

Bully Brother 2: "Did not!"

Bully Brother 1: "Did too!"

Bully Brother 2: "Did not!"

"If they keep this up, I'm gonna end up falling!" The Hooded Claw worried as the Bully Brothers' fighting caused the balloon to tilt back and forth. "Then who will keep them under control?"

"You calling me a liar!?" Bully Brother 1 protested.

"It's your fault!" Bully Brother 2 argued back.

"If you both don't stop fighting you're getting replaced!" The Hooded Claw shouted as the Bully Brothers stuck their tongues at each other. "I know plenty of evil henchmen around here that would make mincemeat of you! Now do as I say and keep lookout for Penelope."

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers replied as they scrambled off to do their job of searching for Penelope from up in the sky, using binoculars.

"We see her claw, slow the balloon down." The Bully Brothers told their boss.

"Where is she?" Asked the Hooded Claw as he slowed the balloon.

"She's at that café over there, eating a hot fudge sundae." The Bully Brothers soon lost track and grinned big grins. "Which looks so good!"

"Focus on Pitstop, not her dessert you idiots!" The Hooded Claw frowned. "Bring this ride close to the café but not directly at the café. I don't want Pitstop to know we dropped in for yet another peril."

"You got it, boss." The Bully Brothers answered.

_Having enjoyed their dessert and still having plenty of time to spare before they need to head to the dog groomer, Penelope and Angel leave the café with the Ant Hill Mob to find a good place to work on Angel's training for the dog show, unaware of the Hooded Claw's treacherous trap he's preparing._

The Hooded Claw watched from the very top of the building, holding a boulder with rope tied around his waist as Penelope got up, grabbed Angel's leash and left the café with the Ant Hill Mob.

"Now remember Bully Brothers, lower me down with the rope holding me, so that I can aim for Penelope and throw this boulder on top of her." He told his henchmen. "This peril requires tremendous focus, so go slow when you lower me. Now would be a good time."

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers answered as they started to lower the rope holding the Hooded Claw, who slowly descended, aiming for Penelope and ready to throw the boulder on her.

Suddenly, a bee flew in and scared the Bully Brothers, causing them to let go of the rope and run, which caused the Hooded Claw to fall and crash to the ground.

"Blast!" The Hooded Claw grumbled, seeing stars. "They had _one_ job!"

_Meanwhile, our heroes have reached another park where Penelope can work with Angel on her training for the dog show and make time to see the Statue of Liberty with the Ant Hill Mob._

"Doesn't Lady Liberty just look beautiful from this wonderful view?" Softy sobbed.

Snoozy: "Yeah, beautiful (Snore)."

Clyde: "Penelope sure picked a good park to see practice with Angel for the dog show and see the sights."

Dum-Dum: "Do you think she has time for both?"

"I can hear you boys from where I am." Penelope said as she was working on obedience with Angel, who stayed sitting as Penelope had told her to do. "It all depends on the show, and let's not forget that we need to get Angel to her grooming appointment before we can head for the show."

Penelope then got an idea.

"Hey boys, would y'all be interested in watching Angel and I rehearse?" Penelope suggested with a smile.

"Would we?" The Ant Hill Mob was overjoyed.

"We'd be delighted." Clyde smiled. "After all, you'll be performing in front of a lot of people, so why not have a practice audience, right you guys?"

"Right Clyde!" The rest of the Mob agreed while Penelope got her practice equipment for the agility trial part of the dog show: Which had two see-saws, two blue tunnels, three tire jumps, one set of weave poles, and three bar jumps.

"And now for the test of canine agility!" Penelope announced in her practice announcer voice. "We now have contestant number eight, Angel! Ready, set, go!"

Angel dashed through the tunnel and the weave bars, got on the see-saw, held still while the see-saw lowered and ran off it and jumped through the three tire jumps and the first two bar jumps without missing a beat or messing up. Just as she was about to leap the third bar jump, the Hooded Claw, from behind a tree, used a butterfly net to scoop up Angel.

_Oh dear! That hooded dogcatcher just snagged our practicing show dog!_

Worried about what just happened to her dog, Penelope ran to the tree where the Hooded Claw was hiding with the Bully Brothers.

Hooded Claw: "Here she comes. Hold onto that net while I grab Penelope, Bully Brothers."

The Bully Brothers did as they were told and held onto the net holding Angel.

"Angel!" Penelope called for her once again dognapped dog. "Where did you go? Who did this?"

Out of the blue, the Hooded Claw popped out from behind the tree and grabbed Penelope from behind, lifting Penelope up, wrapping his arm around in front of her shoulders and clamping his hand over her lips.

_And he's got our girl, to boot!_

"Scared you, didn't I?" The Hooded Claw sneered at Penelope, who was fighting to break out of his grasp. "I like that in my captives."

Penelope kept squirming and wriggling her body and her head until the Hooded Claw's hand was off her lips. His arm was still wrapped around in front of her shoulders, so she sank her teeth into his hand and bit him hard.

Angel kept fighting until the Bully Brothers let go of the net, and then she quickly ran and bit the Hooded Claw in the butt, causing him to really let go of Penelope, who quickly grabbed Angel's leash and ran out of the park with Angel.

_So Penelope breaks out of that treacherous fiend's grasp and makes out of the park, into the city and off to the dog groomer with Angel._

"That little brat and her mangy mutt!" The Hooded Claw was turning red with rage and anger, but then he paused.

"Stay calm, relax." The Hooded Claw told himself while calming himself and turning back to his normal skin color. "Remember, your blood pressure. I'll find Pitstop, even if it means searching the entire city to do so."

_But that twice bitten and once shy Hooded Claw isn't backing down. I sure hope Penelope is able to find the dog groomer. Maybe and hopefully the Ant Hill Mob will find her and get her where she needs to be._

"Alright you guys, Penelope and Angel ran somewhere into the city while escaping the Hooded Claw." Clyde rounded up the rest of the mob into Chuggaboom. "Where in the city she and Angel are I don't know, but we need to find her and get her to the dog groomer right away."

"Go Chuggaboom!" Zippy told Chuggaboom. "Go find Penelope! Into the city!"

"R-r-r-right!" Said Chuggaboom as he drove off with the Ant Hill Mob inside.

Meanwhile, in an empty part of the city, Penelope was reading a map.

"It says here, from Fifth Avenue, that's where I am." Said Penelope as she read the map, the loop of Angel's leash around her elbow. "Go straight, take a left turn, keep going straight, take a right turn, take another left turn, and from there is the groomer."

Penelope folded up her map and put it in her coat pocket.

"If this little ole map says so." She thought to herself. "We just might make it there on time after all! Come girl."

_And so Penelope and Angel follow the sidewalks of New York from fifth Avenue to the dog groomer._

Penelope and Angel walked straight down the sidewalk from Fifth Avenue, took a right turn and went straight from there, then they took another right turn and turned left, only to find that the dog grooming place they were supposed to go to was not there.

"Oh dear, according to my map the dog groomer is right here." Penelope worried pulling out her map again. "Poor little ole me is lost! I wish we would've taken a taxi, Angel. We are not having very good luck today."

"And your bad luck is only gonna get worse, Pitstop." The Hooded Claw sneered, giving an evil laugh as he and the Bully Brothers came out from the shadows of a building.

"The bad luck-causing Hooded Claw!" Penelope gasped.

"Not only did I cause you bad luck, but I also tampered with your map and lured you here, where I want you." The Hooded Claw grinned. "Now come with me, my dear."

"No." Penelope scowled.

"As you wish." The Hooded Claw laughed as he and the Bully Brothers got closer to Penelope as she held Angel, who was barking and growling at the Hooded Claw as he put a muzzle on her.

"What a nice little dog." He smirked as he stroked Angel's golden fur, and then took Angel out of Penelope's arms and placed the poor pup in a sack.

"And now it's your turn, my sweet Penelope." He said as he grabbed some ropes. "Hold her still, Bully Brothers, and don't let her get away."

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers replied as they pinned Penelope's hands behind her back while the Hooded Claw tied her up with the rope.

"Let go of me!" Penelope protested. "Let me go!"

"You might as well cooperate my dear; it's pointless to struggle when there's only three of us, and only one of you." The Hooded Claw told Penelope.

"You will never get away with this!" The tied-up Penelope scowled at the Hooded Claw as she was held by the Bully Brothers. "You may not know this, Claw, but New York City is crawling with people."

"I knew that." The Hooded Claw replied with a sinister smile. "So here's the finishing touch to make sure no one hears or sees you in the big city."

The Hooded Claw gagged Penelope with a white scarf and placed her in the same sack Angel was in.

The Bully Brothers lifted the sack that held a tied up and gagged Penelope and a muzzled Angel, placed it in a horse drawn carriage where the Hooded Claw was in the back seat and took control of the horse.

"Giddy-up!" The Bully Brothers said as they moved the reins of the horse up and down sharply and quickly, causing the horse to trot and take the villains and their captives to wherever the Hooded Claw's next trap for Penelope would be.

_Once again that foul fiend makes off with Penelope, but where could that stagecoach be taking him for Penelope's next plight?_


	6. Spooks, Spiders and Sleep Potions, Oh My

_This creepy-looking mansion? Ooh I'm not sure I can imagine what that fiend could do to Penelope here._

Hooded Claw: "My latest peril, wise guy. What else?"

The Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers stood by Penelope, who was now tied on what looked like a tilted board in front of a giant hole. Penelope's wrists were tied up above her head, her waist was tied around the board and her ankles were tied together.

Angel was once again stuck in a cage and her collar was once again tied to a bar in the cage. She was struggling to break the rope to get out and save Penelope.

"You don't mind ghost stories, do you Pitstop?" The Hooded Claw asked Penelope with a wicked grin.

"I can handle them." Penelope replied. "Everyone knows they're all made up."

"Well this ghost story is like no other, because by the time we're through it's gonna be a true story." The Hooded Claw laughed.

"If you'll observe we're in an old abandoned spooky mansion, which is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of the mansion's owner, Grimsby McSmithsby." The Hooded Claw explained pointing to an old framed photo of Grimsby McSmithsby, a mustached man in a top hat and dress suit.

"Interesting, but I'm sure it's indeed just a little ole rumor." Penelope commented. "Ghosts aren't real."

"May I continue please?" The Hooded Claw was annoyed.

"Yes you may continue." Penelope replied quietly.

"If you'll also observe you're tied up on top of this tilted board." The Hooded Claw explained. "And notice too, that there is a box of little creatures that I shall soon let out. Once they're released, they'll climb the board and chew the ropes holding you. Once they do, you will fall through that chute that you see in front of you to the cellar of the mansion into a crate of poisonous rattlesnakes. And then, the ghost of Penelope Pitstop will haunt this haunted mansion!"

The Hooded Claw gave another sinister laugh after his explanation.

"And one more thing I forgot to mention." He then added grabbing a glass containing a drink. "For this peril, I mixed up a drink containing a sleeping potion. One tiny sip will make you feel a bit tired, but one entire glass, and you'll fall into a deep sleep, so you can't even try to save yourself!"

"I refuse to drink it." Penelope gave a glare. "Go terrorize some other girl."

"Then I guess you're stuck dealing with these babies." The Hooded Claw smirked as he opened the box.

He took out a tarantula from the box, and held it in his hand as he showed it to Penelope, who shivered and shrieked in fright.

"Oh! Keep that thing away from me, you cad!" Penelope cried. "I can't stand spiders!"

"Something has to eat the little dead bugs that are in your ropes." The Hooded Claw laughed.

"Dead bugs!?" Penelope looked at the ropes holding her wrists in fear and disgust. "I just lost my little ole appetite."

Hooded Claw: "There, did I do a good job on changing your mind?"

"If I must, I must." Penelope sighed. "I'll take the potion. Not only do I not wish to deal with these bugs as they're making me even more nervous, but this spooky environment doesn't make it better."

"See, Pitstop. That wasn't such a hard decision, wasn't it?" The Hooded Claw smiled with sarcasm in his voice as he held the glass and made Penelope drink the potion, one sip at a time. "All I had to do was persuade you."

Angel kept struggling to untie the knot of her rope with her teeth until she was able to do so, and then she unlocked the cage with her paw and ran out of the cage, shocking the Hooded Claw.

"Run, Angel! Run!" Penelope told her dog. "Go find the Ant Hill Mob! Find the Ant Hill Mob, girl! And be careful of any dogcatchers."

Angel ran out of the mansion in search of the Ant Hill Mob.

"Blast, but who needs her?" The Hooded Claw muttered in an annoyed voice as the glass now contained half of the potion and Penelope's eyelids fell a bit.

But then he smiled an evil smile as he got an idea.

"No matter. Life is all about how you handle plan B, so I'm gonna stick with plan B." He said as he held onto his cape, flipped his arm back and reappeared in a white dress suit, white dress shoes, white gloves, a white top hat and a fake mustache. His purple eye mask remained.

"With this Ghost of Old Grimsby McSmithsby disguise, I'll scare the Ant Hill Mob away, so they'll be too chicken to return, even to save Pitstop."

He then laughed and turned to Penelope, who felt tired.

"How do you feel, Penelope?" He asked Penelope as he held the drink again and brought it to her.

"I'm so sleepy." She moaned.

"That a girl. Now keep drinking." The Hooded Claw told her. "Only half a drink left, my dear. One sip at a time."

Penelope continued to drink the potion until the glass was completely empty and she started to yawn.

"Oh dear. Little ole me is falling a…a…sleep." Were the last words she said right before falling into a deep sleep.

"It worked! It really worked!" The Hooded Claw laughed triumphantly. "Pitstop's out like a light! And now for Step 2!"

He turned to the Bully Brothers.

"Alright Bully Brothers, bring the spiders onto the board while I get my makeup done." He told his minions.

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers said as they opened the box, releasing the tarantulas.

_Oh no! Out come those creepy crawlies to chew their way to find the bugs in Penelope's bonds. While that creepy crawly of creepy crawlies prepares to scare the Ant Hill Mob out._

"And it's sure to be a doozy, too!" The Hooded Claw gave a vain smile as he dipped a powder-puff in a bag of flour and dabbed his face with the flour-covered powder-puff until his entire body was white like a ghost.

"There, how do I look, Bully Brothers?" He asked the Bully Brothers as he turned to them.

"Spooky." They replied.

"Good!" He grinned.

"And I certainly look the part." He smiled as he looked at his ghostly appearance in a nearby mirror. "Get this mansion prepped for the Ant Hill Mob's arrival and for a haunting they'll never forget!"

"Yes sir." The Bully Brothers replied as they headed downstairs.

Before he could join the Bully Brothers downstairs, he looked at the comatose Penelope one last time.

"Sweet dreams, Pitstop." He laughed. "For the last time."

_While Penelope is caught in her deep sleep and unable to escape as those tarantulas climb the board, Angel hears the Ant Hill Mob trying to find her._

Meanwhile, Angel was in the city looking for the Ant Hill Mob, when she heard them calling Penelope's name.

Clyde: "Penelope!"

Pockets: "Penelope!"

Zippy: "Penelope!"

Dum-Dum: "Uh, where are you, Penelope?"

Angel followed their voices and once she found them searching for Penelope, she barked to get their attention.

"Angel! Thank goodness you're safe" Clyde said as he went up to Angel. "But what happened to Penelope?"

Angel barked and whimpered as her way of telling the Ant Hill Mob what happened to Penelope.

"The Hooded Claw has her again?" Clyde muttered. "Don't that guy ever give up? Angel, take us to where she is and we'll follow you."

_Full speed ahead, everyone! It's only a matter of time!_

The Ant Hill Mob immediately jumped inside Chuggaboom and quickly drove off, following Angel to the mansion.

Once the Ant Hill Mob followed Angel to the mansion, they saw signs on the mansion saying, "Go Away!" "Beware" "Leave at Once!" "Turn Back" and "Do Not Return"

_Uh oh, those signs don't look so good._

"Go away, beware, leave at once, turn back, do not return." Dum-Dum read the signs. "Okay."

Dum-Dum turned to leave but Clyde grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him back and he and the Ant Hill Mob and Angel shook their heads at him.

"We need to go in there and find Penelope." Clyde reminded Dum-Dum. "And Angel's gonna lead the way."

Angel nodded her head and led the Ant Hill Mob inside the mansion.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) This place sure looks spooky."

Pockets: "More like it hasn't been dusted in ages."

"Penelope's gotta be somewhere in this mansion." Clyde told the others. "Angel, do you know where in the mansion Penelope is?"

Angel barked and pointed straight across, up the rail of stairs.

"Penelope must be trapped upstairs." Said Zippy. "Upstairs she must be trapped."

"The sooner we get up those stairs and where Penelope is, the better." Clyde said.

"Wait a minute, fellas." Softy wept. "This place is so spooky and so is the feel of this place. I think I'll wait for you outside and you can go on."

"Uh, I think I'll do the same thing, and the rest of you can go find Penelope." Said a scared, shivering Dum-Dum.

Clyde: "You're not getting yellow bellies now are you? Penelope needs help. We need to save her."

"But this mansion could be haunted!" Softy sniffed. "Ghosts could be running this joint."

"Yeah, scary bad ghosts!" Cried Dum-Dum as he and Softy stood at the mansion steps shaking and holding each other with fear.

"Don't worry guys." Clyde assured them. "It may be an abandoned mansion but there's no such things as ghosts."

Dum-Dum: "Are you sure?"

"We're positive that there are no ghosts." Zippy told Softy and Dum-Dum as he and Clyde led them in the mansion. "But if we don't act now, Penelope will become one."

Just as the entire Ant Hill Mob was inside with Angel, the door rapidly slammed shut, making them jump with fright.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) We're trapped! Who did this!"

"Uh, maybe it was…just…the…wind?" Dum-Dum wondered in fear. "Clyde just said there are no such things as ghosts."

"But there is no wind today." Pockets said.

"Something funny's going on." Clyde thought. "Come on you guys, just stick together so that we can follow Angel and save Penelope."

The Ant Hill Mob linked elbows in a line and walked quickly but with caution as they followed Angel to Penelope's location, until suddenly, the sound of doors creaking made them freeze in their tracks.

What they didn't know, was that the Bully Brothers were creaking doors of the mansion.

"Clyde, this place are creaking." Said Dum-Dum. "And not in a good way."

"I'll bet it's just creaky." Clyde replied. "Keep going. There might not be much time left."

They soon heard the sounds of an organ playing and a wind-like sound effect.

One Bully Brother was playing the organ and the other Bully Brother created the wind sound effect.

Clyde:"Now there's wind? But there isn't any outside."

Pockets: "Me and my big mouth I guess."

Clyde: "Never mind, we need to keep going."

They kept going until the sound of a ghost moaning ringed though the mansion, giving the Ant Hill Mob a fright.

"LEAVE THIS MANSION!" The Hooded Claw's ghost voice moaned. "NEVER RETURN!"

"Who said that?" Dum-Dum asked as he looked around in fear.

The ghost voice moaned again as fog effects controlled by the Bully Brothers appeared without a trace.

"Something weird's happening." Clyde told the others. "Let's figure it out, but quickly."

The Ant Hill Mob and Angel quickly went down the stairs and back where they started, where the fog rapidly kept surrounding them and the ghost voice moaned again.

Out of the fog came the Hooded Claw in his ghostly disguise. One of the Bully Brothers shone a bright, light green light behind him to create a ghostly effect.

"Oh dear! Look at that!" Softy bawled. "It's a ghost! Can't I wait outside?"

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) This place really is haunted (Giggle)!"

"Softy and I told you so, Clyde." Cried Dum-Dum as he and the rest of the Ant Hill Mob shook with fear.

"You little trespassers!" The Hooded Claw moaned in his ghost voice. "It is I, the ghost of Grimsby McSmithsby, the owner of this very mansion! Leave this mansion and never return!"

"But Mr. McSmithsby sir." Softy sobbed. " We were only looking to save our friend Penelope…"

"SILENCE!" Shouted the Hooded Claw in his ghost impression. "You dare fail to heed my warning signs to leave this place and never return!?"

"Warning signs?" Dum-Dum asked. "What warning signs?"

"I think he means the ones outside that you read and took too seriously." Clyde reminded him.

"Oh yeah." Dum-Dum replied sheepishly.

"We weren't trespassing. You have to let us stay so we can save Penelope." Clyde told the "ghost". "She's in serious peril and we need to save her before she…"

"SILENCE!" The "ghost" yelled. "Leave this mansion or I will haunt you for the rest of your lives!"

Dum-Dum: "I sure don't want any ghosts haunting me!"

Clyde: "You don't mean that."

"Oh but I do mean it!" The "ghost" moaned and threatened. "Leave this mansion or you shall suffer a lifetime of ghostly haunts and fright!"

Zippy: "But you don't understand. Penelope might not have much time left to be saved and live."

"I SAID LEAVE THE MANSION AND DO NOT COME BACK!" The "ghost" shouted.

"Let's get out of here!" Yelled Dum-Dum as he and the rest of the Ant Hill Mob ran out of the mansion along with Angel.

The Bully Brothers stopped the effects and the Hooded Claw rejoined them, laughing hard.

"Those seven small suckers fell for it!" The Hooded Claw laughed as he took a cloth and wiped his face with it, removing the flour, before spinning back to his Hooded Claw attire. "They'll be too scared to go back in, and Penelope will have no one to save her!"

_Well someone's gotta save Penelope, those spiders are chewing away as she sleeps through her fate._

Back upstairs, the spiders were still chewing the ropes holding the still-sleeping Penelope.

_I hope the Ant Hill Mob finds the courage to come back in._

"We can't go back in, Clyde!" Softy bawled. "The ghost of Grimsby said to leave and never come back!"

Snoozy: "Yeah (Snore) never come back."

Dum-Dum: "And the ghost meant business! He said he'd haunt us if we came back in!"

"Oh, no he won't." Clyde told everyone else. "We still need to save Penelope."

"We went through the front door when we went in." Pockets got an idea. "When the ghost of Grimsby McSmithsby told us to leave, he didn't say anything about coming in through the back door, so maybe we can go through the back door to find Penelope and save her."

"Pockets, you're a genius!" Clyde smiled. "To that back door, fast!"

Angel and the Ant Hill Mob quickly ran to the back door and opened it.

"Lead the way, Angel." Clyde told Angel.

Angel led the Ant Hill Mob through and out of the back doorway of the mansion. They paused to take a quick look.

"I think we'll be okay, you guys." Clyde whispered. "Be fast, but stay quiet."

From there, Angel led the Ant Hill Mob up the stairs and to the next floor, but they spotted the Bully Brothers, who have been told to keep lookout, so they quickly but quietly snuck to a corner.

"The Bully Brothers are in this place." Clyde whispered to the others. "What'll we do?"

"I've got it." Pockets whispered as he took out some white sheets. "Wrap these white sheets around you. We'll camouflage ourselves so it'll be easy to get through this place and find Penelope."

The Ant Hill Mob covered themselves with the white sheets and Clyde covered Angel with one.

Angel continue to lead the Ant Hill Mob, found another stairway, and led them up the stairway up the top floor of the mansion.

As Angel lead them through the hall and right to Penelope's location, Dum-Dum saw his and Clyde's reflections in a mirror, jumped and screamed.

"G-g-ghosts!" He cried as he jumped onto Clyde. "Save me, Clyde!"

"You dum-dum! That's us in disguise, remember?" Clyde grumbled as he pushed Dum-Dum off him. "And stay quiet. We can't let our cover be blown."

"You hear something." One Bully Brother asked the other.

"I do. Let's find who made that noise." Replied the other as they went off.

The Ant Hill Mob heard the Bully Brother's footsteps just as they were about to open the door.

"It's the Bully Brothers!" Zippy warned the rest of the Mob. "What'll we do?"

"We'll scare them off." Smiled Clyde as he saw a box of violins. "Grab these violins and start playing.

The Ant Hill Mob grabbed one violin each and started playing it creating an eerie sound that startled the Bully Brothers.

"Yikes! Ghosts in the mansion!" The Bully Brothers cried in fear. "Not only is the place haunted, but the music is so scary and off-key!"

The Bully Brothers screamed like women and dashed off!

"That takes care of them." Said Clyde as he and the Ant Hill Mob removed theirs and Angel's disguises. "Which room in this hall is Penelope in, Angel."

Angel barked and led the Ant Hill Mob to the very first door. They stood on each other's shoulders with Clyde on top so that Clyde could reach the door. When he tried to open the door, however, Clyde learned that it was locked.

"Not to worry, Clyde. I have a key to the door." Said Pockets as he pulled out a key and had each member of the mob pass it up to Clyde.

Clyde used the key to unlock the door. Once it opened the Ant Hill Mob fell in through the doorway as Angel ran inside.

_Thank heavens they found the room where Penelope is, but they need to act fast, because those spiders are on the last strands._

"There's Penelope!" Clyde told the others as they got back up and saw Penelope asleep on the board, the spiders still chewing the ropes. "We need to get her out of here and away from those spiders.

The Ant Hill Mob and Angel immediately dashed off to the board, where Pockets pulled out a large ramp and a flyswatter. The Ant Hill Mob and Angel climbed up to the top of the ramp and Zippy used the flyswatter to quickly swat the spiders off the board.

Although the tarantulas were swatted off the board, the rope binding Penelope's wrists snapped and she fell through the chute.

_Oh no! Too late!_

"Quick guys, fetch me a rope and we'll lasso Penelope out of the chute!" Clyde told the rest of the Mob as Pockets immediately gave Clyde a rope, which he used to lasso Penelope out of the chute. The Mob successfully hooked the sleeping Penelope and reeled her up before she could land in the crate of hissing rattlesnakes.

_They grabbed Penelope just in time._

Angel dragged her unconscious owner to the Ant Hill Mob. She gently nudged Penelope's cheek with her nose twice, but Penelope did not respond. This worried the Ant Hill Mob so they checked her.

"Uh, I think we're too late." Dum-Dum gulped as he put Penelope's hand to his ear. "I don't hear her heart beating."

"That's not where her heart is you Dum-Dum." Clyde frowned at Dum-Dum before gently laying his fingertips on Penelope's heart and smiled again. "I feel her heart beating and she's still breathing. The Hooded Claw must've done something to put her in a deep sleep."

"I'll wake her back up with this." Pockets pulled out a small bucket of water and splashed it on Penelope's face.

Penelope's eyes started to open slowly and she smiled when she woke up to the Ant Hill Mob at her side and Angel licking her face to help with the wake-up.

"Oh, fellas." Penelope sat up and smiled though she felt tired. "I'm awake and safe again thanks to you."

"Don't thank just us, Penelope." Clyde said as he hugged Penelope. "Angel escaped and led us through the mansion to find you, even after a few spooky situations."

"Oh, thank you girl." Penelope praised her dog as she turned and hugged her. "You're a good dog!"

Dum-Dum: "Let's get out of this dump. It still gives me the creeps."

"I agree. And we still need to get Angel to the dog groomer right away." Said Penelope as she stood back up.

When she stood back up, however, she felt very sick, tired and in pain, so she fell to her knees and rubbed her head.

"Penelope!" Clyde gasped as he rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"

"I don't feel so good." Penelope told the Ant Hill Mob in a tired voice that sounded like she was sick. "My head hurts, and I feel so tired and so sick to my stomach. It must be the sleeping potion the Hooded Claw made me drink."

"No way to know for sure, but I see a book on the sleeping potion. Maybe you're right." Clyde went to grab the book and flipped through it.

Clyde: "It says here, that if the victim he or she may have a headache, drowsiness and feelings of sickness."

"That's what I have right now." Said Penelope as she held her head in pain.

"Sounds like she'll be okay, but we'd better get her some medical care to be safe." Clyde told the others as they helped Penelope back up and out of the mansion.

Penelope lay down in Chuggaboom's back seat. Angel allowed her to rest her head on her like a pillow and Pockets took out a warm blanket and covered her from shoulder-to-toe with it.

"Just relax and rest, Penelope." Clyde whispered to Penelope. "We're getting you to a hospital to so you can get checked out, just to be safe."

"I wish my trusted and devoted guardian Sylvester Sneekly was here." Penelope said quietly, whimpering a bit from her headache. "I want someone to be at my side if I need to be at the hospital so I can feel at ease there while you boys take Angel to the dog groomer."

The Hooded Claw heard this and growled in frustration.

Hooded Claw: "Blast! Not only did my plan fail again, but I'm stuck having to be the good guy. My least favorite job of all!"

He held his cape, flipped his arm and reappeared as Sylvester Sneekly.

"I see Sylvester Sneekly, Penelope." Zippy told Penelope. "I see him."

"Good. Can you tell him to come here, please?" Penelope asked Zippy.

"Sure, Penelope, sure." Zippy answered as he dashed off to Sylvester.

"Mr. Sneekly, Penelope's in Chuggaboom's back seat." Zippy told Sylvester as he directed him to Chuggaboom's back seat where Penelope was. "She needs you. She feels sick."

Sneekly saw Penelope lying in the back seat and gave a fake look of worry.

"Oh Penelope my dear." He said pretending to be concerned and sorry for her. "Your friend Zippy told me that you weren't feeling well."

"My head hurts, and I feel weak, tired and sick to my little ole tummy." She replied as she sat up to talk to him even though it hurt and made her feel sick. "The Ant Hill Mob's about to take me to the hospital and I need someone to be in the hospital with me. Will you please do that for me, Mr. Sneekly?"

He gave a quick look of displeasure and his usual hate for Penelope but quickly took a breath and gave a look of compassion to cover it up.

"Why of course I will, my dear." He smiled as he softly cupped Penelope's cheek with his hand and tucked Penelope back in. "Just lie back down and rest."

Clyde: "Don't worry, Penelope, we'll take you to the hospital."

Sneekly: "And I'll drive myself and meet you there, okay Penelope?"

"I would appreciate that very much, guys." Penelope whispered in her tired voice. "Thank you."

"Take Penelope straight to the hospital, but take it easy on the ride, Chuggaboom." Clyde told Chuggaboom. "Penelope's not feeling well."

Chuggaboom drove off to the hospital, but gently as to not make Penelope feel sicker.

"I hate being the good guy." Sneekly muttered. "Do I have a choice?"


	7. Penelope's Hospital Stay

_Meanwhile, our heroes arrive at the hospital, where Penelope, not feeling so well as a result of the Hooded Claw's sleep potion, is being examined by a doctor._

At a small hospital in the city, Penelope sat on an examination table with fatigue and her feelings of sickness as a male white-haired doctor listened to her back with a stethoscope.

The Ant Hill Mob and Angel waited in the exam room with Penelope.

"I'll need to have you take deep breaths, Penelope." The doctor told her.

Penelope did as she was told and took deep breaths as the doctor continued to listen to her back, but even those deep breaths made her feel queasy.

"Tell me exactly what happened, my dear." The doctor said.

"Well, doctor. The reason I'm feeling so sick and so tired, is because my archenemy, the Hooded Claw, gave me a drink with sleeping potion." Penelope explained. "When I finally woke up, that's when I started to feel so tired and so sick."

As the doctor continued to examine Penelope, in came Sylvester Sneekly with a fake look of sympathy for Penelope.

Penelope: "Oh, Mr. Sneekly. You made it."

"Yes, I'm right here, Penelope." Sneekly said with pretend kindness in his voice as he went up to Penelope right after the doctor took her blood pressure. "How are you?"

"Still feeling weak, tired and sick." Penelope moaned. "And my little ole head still hurts badly."

"You poor dear." Sneekly placed a gentle hand on Penelope's forehead. "On the bright side, you're not running a fever. How did you start to feel so sick?"

"The Hooded Claw gave me a little ole drink laced with sleeping potion for his recent peril." Penelope told her guardian. "When I woke up, I felt sick and my head was aching like it still is."

Sneekly: "Oh, why would that fiend do such a thing?"

After he said that, Sneekly gave a sinister grin in secrecy as the doctor took Penelope's temperature. After all, he was the Hooded Claw, the one responsible for what happened to Penelope, who still had no idea that he was the Hooded Claw.

"Well, Penelope will be okay, but she needs to stay here until she is well." The doctor told everyone. "I'll have a nurse get a room set for her."

Penelope thanked the doctor and followed a nurse with short black hair and a nurse's white dress and cap.

As soon as the nurse got her into a room in the hospital, Penelope took off her helmet and her boots and climbed into a bed in the room to rest as the doctor advised her.

"I'll have you take two aspirins to relieve your headache." The nurse said as she came in with a tray holding a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin. "The doctor will come in and give you medicine to ease your symptoms and wake your system up a bit."

"Thank you." Penelope whispered as she took two capsules of aspirin and swallowed them with two small sips of water before lying down in her bed.

Angel carefully went onto the bed and laid her chin on Penelope's stomach with a whimper.

"Don't worry, Angel." Penelope quietly reassured her pup in a tired voice as she slowly stroked her fur. "The Ant Hill Mob will get you to the groomer. And I'm positive that we'll be ready for the dog show."

The Ant Hill Mob walked into the hospital room with Sneekly behind them. The Ant Hill Mob walked over to the left side of Penelope's bed and Sneekly walked to the right side.

"Don't worry, Penelope. You'll be okay." Softy wept.

"The doctors and nurses here will make sure of it." Clyde smiled.

"Penelope my dear, as promised, I'll stay right here with you until you're well enough to leave this hospital." Sneekly pretended to care as he gave her a quick hug and let her go.

"Thanks ever so ever, Mr. Sneekly." Penelope smiled wearily.

Angel walked over to the right side on top of the bed, sniffed Sneekly's hand up to his chest, and started barking, growling and snarling at him.

_Angel is not about to let Sneekly lay even the slightest finger on Penelope._

"Angel, no!" Penelope sat up and scolded Angel even though she didn't feel well. "Down girl!"

Sylvester tried to keep his nice guy image in front of Penelope and tried to keep Angel under control.

"Steady, Angel girl." He tried to calm her by reaching out a hand. "Nice doggie. Down girl."

Angel snarled and was about to bite Sylvester's hand right before he pulled it away.

"Steady ole girl! Enough! That was just plain rude, Angel." Penelope reprimanded Angel as she gently but firmly tugged her leash, making Angel stop her barks and snarls at Sylvester. "Don't you remember? Mr. Sneekly's the same sweet man who rescued you from a life in the pound on a cold Christmas Eve. Besides, you need to see the Ant Hill Mob. They're taking you to the groomer."

"Come here, Angel." Clyde called to Angel, who came to them. "We've got you."

Angel jumped off the bed and went to Clyde, who held her leash. However, Angel looked at Sneekly and once again started barking and snarling at him.

_But Angel's not going down without a fight._

"Angel, steady girl!" Clyde yelled as he and the rest of the mob tugged the leash back.

"Uh, stop it, Angel!" Dum-Dum cried.

Zippy: "Down girl! You need to see the groomer."

"We'll see you at the dog groomer's Penelope." Clyde called to Penelope as he and the other members of the Ant Hill Mob got Angel out the door. "We hope you feel better."

Penelope: "Thanks again, boys."

She felt a sharp pain in her head and winced and whimpered as she rubbed her head.

"Mr. Sneekly, all of Angel's barking and growling at you made my little ole headache feel much worse." Penelope was almost in tears from her headache.

"Shh. It's okay my dear." Sneekly whispered as he held Penelope and calmed her down. "The aspirin should kick in and do its job of getting rid of your headache and the doctor will be in shortly to give you the medicine you need to feel better. Just lie down and try to sleep."

Penelope lay back in bed as the doctor came in the room.

A nurse took off Penelope's glove and cleaned her lower arm as the doctor filled a syringe with medicine from a small jar.

"This should help lessen the symptoms that you're feeling, and it should help you feel more awake." The doctor told Penelope as he injected the medicine into Penelope's vein.

Penelope did not feel the syringe prick her vein, as she was very tired and sick.

"Doctor." Her voice soft. "I'm freezing a bit."

"Here you go." The nurse said as she gave Penelope two warm blankets. "Now try to sleep, Miss Pitstop. We'll keep an eye on you."

"Don't fret Penelope, my dear. Everything's alright." Sneekly soothed Penelope by holding her hand in one of his and stroking her hair with his other hand. "I'm not leaving until you feel better, just like when you got sick with measles last month. Get some sleep."

Penelope softly yawned.

"That a girl. It's okay." Sneekly whispered as he still had a hold of Penelope's hand. He very softly hummed a soothing lullaby that Penelope's parents each sung for her when they were still alive.

Penelope fell fast asleep as she was calmed by her guardian stroking her hair and gently whispering and humming her family lullaby to her.

_With Penelope sleeping peacefully in the hospital while Angel is at the groomer's being pampered, Sneekly's sure to treat her with respect in a place crawling with doctors and nurses._

Sylvester smiled evilly and covered Penelope's ear as she slept soundly on her side.

"Penelope's been a very sound sleeper since she was a baby, and has slept through even the worst of thunderstorms, but better safe than sorry." Sneekly whispered. "Right now I'm indeed stuck treating her with respect, but by the time she's better and back on track with the dog show, I'll have something sinister cooked up for her. Oh, and when she had measles last month, I was tempted to poison her medicine, but where's the fun and creativity in that?"

Penelope still slept soundly through Sylvester whispering about his next scheme.

One hour later, Penelope felt better. She woke up and smiled at Sylvester.

"Why, Penelope my dear." Sylvester smiled in a voice of faux happiness. "It looks like you're feeling better."

"I am indeed feeling better, Mr. Sneekly. And I'm sorry about Angel. I don't know what got into her." Penelope replied. "Now I must get to the dog groomer, pick up Angel, and get ready for the dog show."

She then saw the doctor walk in.

"After I see the doctor one last time, that is." She giggled.

Doctor: "Why, miss Pitstop. I see you're starting to feel better. Before you leave, though, I must examine you one last time to make sure you're ready."

The doctor listened to Penelope's heart and lungs, and then took her blood pressure, temperature and pulse.

"Well, you're in good health." The doctor told Penelope. "You are free to go, my dear."

"Oh thank you doctor." Penelope smiled.

She then turned to Sneekly.

"And thank you ever so ever for staying with me at the hospital Mr. Sneekly. You being at my bedside really made me feel less scared during my time here." She gave Sneekly a hug and a quick kiss on his cheek before she left the hospital.

As she left, Sneekly gave an evil laugh.

"Now that you're well Pitstop, I can get back to doing you in." He thought to himself.

"Good thing the dog groomer is only three buildings away from the hospital." Penelope thought to herself as she walked to the dog groomer's.

When she walked in, she saw the Ant Hill Mob waiting for Angel and she greeted them.

"Hi, Penelope!" Clyde greeted back as he and the rest of the Ant Hill Mob went to Penelope. "Glad to see you're feeling better."

"I certainly am." Penelope replied with a grin. "Where's my sweet Angel?"

"There's our dog show star now!" Said Clyde as the dog groomer walked Angel to Penelope.

_Yes, and she looks perfectly groomed and ready for the dog show!_

Angel's nails were trimmed, her golden fur on her body was cut in short curls, the fur on the back of her legs and her tail were shorter, and she had two fuchsia bows in her ears that matched the fuchsia color of her collar. Angel looked happy to see her owner again.

"Oh, Angel, you look darling!" Penelope cried happily as she pet and embraced her pretty pooch. "And you smell so good. The groomer must've done a good job in giving you a bath."

Angel licked Penelope's cheek.

"Come on everyone!" Penelope called as she held Angel's leash and the Ant Hill Mob walked out the door with them. "Now that we're ready, we need to get to the show right away!"

_And so with all their preparations for the dog show done and out of the way, Penelope, the Ant Hill Mob and Angel make their way to the stadium where the dog show is to be held._


	8. The Dog Show: Round 1

_And now it's finally time for the dog show to begin! And Penelope, in high spirits, is practicing with Angel._

At the stadium where the dog show was being held, Penelope was backstage practicing obedience with Angel.

Penelope: "Angel, sit."

Angel did as she was told and sat.

"Lie down." Penelope told Angel.

After Angel lied down, Penelope put her hand up and told her "Stay."

Angel stayed put for a good long minute before being told to come.

"Good girl, Angel." Penelope hugged her pup and pet her. "You've got this! Now let's work on our walk."

Just as Penelope was about to practice Angel's show walk, The Ant Hill Mob appeared.

_Aww, look who came to see you and give you their support?_

"Oh, hi fellas!" Penelope was no doubt delighted to see the Ant Hill Mob and she went to hug them. "What brings you boys backstage?"

"We down to wish you and Angel good luck!" Clyde smiled. "Are you excited?"

"I certainly am excited." Penelope replied with joy.

But then she gulped and felt her heart flutter a bit.

"I'm also a bit nervous." She said with a sigh.

"Penelope, what's there to be nervous about?" Zippy asked.

Pockets: "You and Angel seem well-prepared."

"Yes, we're very well-prepared." Penelope replied. "But I'm also a bit scared that something could go wrong when Angel and I perform."

Dum-Dum: "Uh, what do you mean, Penelope?"

"I'm confident that Angel and I will be successful in the dog show, but I'm worried that we'll mess up." Penelope told the mob. "Whether it'd be a little ole accident, or… because of the Hooded Claw. Knowing the Hooded Claw, he's bound to do something to me, even if it means interfering with my plans."

_Penelope makes an excellent point, hiding right around the corner and unseen by everyone else, is the Hooded Claw right now._

While Penelope was talking to her protectors, the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers poked their heads from around a corner with evil grins.

Hooded Claw: "Who did you expect? George Washington?"

"Don't fret, Penelope." Clyde reassured Penelope. "If it makes you feel better, we'll stay backstage and keep our eyes peeled for that fiend."

He then turned his head to Snoozy.

"Snoozy, that includes you!" He told Snoozy in a stern tone of voice.

Snoozy: "(Snore) Right Clyde."

_You hear that Claw? The Ant Hill Mob will be on the lookout for you._

"Why should I be glum? Those pint-sized parasites can't worry me." The Hooded Claw laughed. "When they come around, we'll be ready for them and Pitstop. Right, Bully Brothers?"

"Right Claw." The Bully Brothers replied in unison.

"Not to worry, Penelope." Softy sobbed. "You'll be in good hands."

"You boys are ever so sweet to look out for me." Penelope complimented her protectors. "It means a lot to me that you'll stay and make sure everything's safe."

The dog show host, a man with dark hair and a tuxedo came backstage.

"Time for the show contestants!" He announced. "Come straight to the ring!"

Penelope: "I do declare! It's show-time already. Luckily I'm contestant number 8, so there's still time to practice and calm my nerves down."

"You and Angel will do great, Penelope." Softy wept.

Zippy: "Just don't think about the Hooded Claw."

Dum-Dum: "If the Hooded Claw does come, we'll uh, uh…"

"Stop him, you dum-dum." Clyde reminded Dum-Dum.

"Oh yeah, stop him you dum-dum." Dum-Dum repeated.

"The most important thing of all, Penelope, is that you just simply be yourself and stay true to yourself." Clyde encouraged Penelope.

Penelope gave the mob a warm smile. It made her feel good that they were there to support her and to give her a pep talk before her and Angel's turn to perform.

"Thank you fellas." Penelope smiled in a soft voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Children of all ages!" The dog show host announced. "Welcome one and all to the annual New York City dog show! I'm proud to announce our wonderful canine participants and their handlers."

"That's my cue to go up." Whispered Penelope as she got up with Angel.

"Good luck Penelope." The Ant Hill Mob whispered back to Penelope.

"Before you go up there, Penelope, remember what we told you." Clyde reminded her. "Be yourself and stay true to yourself, and to Angel for that matter."

"Thanks again, fellas." Penelope blew the Ant Hill Mob a kiss before entering the ring with the rest of the handlers and their dogs.

There was a variety of dogs of different breeds in the show. A giant St. Bernard, a collie, a tiny Chihuahua, a shaggy mutt, a black poodle with a fancy haircut, a white Maltese with long fur with a bow, different breedless mixes and many more.

Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob were impressed by the other dogs and their performances.

"What a talented bunch of pups." Penelope thought to herself.

"And now, give a round of applause for contestant number eight: Penelope Pitstop and her Cocker Spaniel/Golden Retriever cross, Angel!" The announcer called out!

The audience and the Ant Hill Mob cheered as Penelope held onto Angel's leash as they walked onto the center ring and as the host examined Angel.

Angel held still and stayed patient as the host examined her appearance.

From there, Penelope whispered "Come" to Angel and led her for the show walk. The audience cheered as Angel stayed by Penelope's side and paid attention to her as they walked around the ring and back to where they started in the ring.

"Go Penelope!" Pockets cheered.

"She sure trained Angel well." Clyde thought.

"And now miss, Penelope. It's time for the test of canine obedience." The announcer told Penelope. "Are you and Angel ready."

"We sure are, Mr. Announcer, sir." Penelope replied happily.

"Glad to hear it, Miss Pitstop." The announcer smiled. "Show us what you've taught Angel, my dear."

Penelope: "Angel, sit."

Angel faced Penelope and sat.

Penelope: "Stay."

Angel sat still for one full minute as she had been trained to do.

"Come, Angel."

Angel came to Penelope.

Penelope: "Good girl. Now lie down."

Angel lied down again, still facing Penelope.

Penelope: "Stay."

Angel stayed down for another full minute until Penelope once again told her to come.

"Time for our own little ole tricks." Penelope grinned. "Angel, handstand."

Angel got up and started balancing on her hind legs. Penelope placed a dog biscuit on top of her dog's nose.

"Wait for it, Angel." Penelope told her dog. "Wait for it."

Angel stayed on her hind legs and balanced the treat for two minutes.

Penelope. "Now."

Angel flipped the treat off her nose and caught it in her mouth.

The audience cheered and applauded and the Ant Hill Mob was dazzled.

Announcer: "Wow! Now that was an impressive move, Miss Pitstop!"

"Nice work girl!" Penelope praised her pup as she pet her again. "Now for the last part of the first round. Shake."

Angel took out her front paw for Penelope to hold for one minute.

The audience cheered again.

"You did it Penelope!" Clyde yelled.

"Way to go, Penelope!" Cheered Dum-Dum.

"And that ladies and gentlemen, concludes Round One of the dog show!" Said the announcer. "In a few moments we will start Round Two, then we'll see who takes the prize in the Annual New York City Dog Show!"

"All that hard work made me a bit thirsty." Penelope took a breath. "Why don't we get some water and we'll meet the fellas backstage, then we'll practice for Round Two."

Penelope and Angel took off to the other backstage entrance to get some water. As soon as they got a drink of water, Penelope led Angel to the other backstage area to where the Ant Hill Mob was, but then they discovered that the Mob had disappeared.

_Oh my! Wherever could the Ant Hill Mob be? They said they'd stay there!_

"Fellas? Hey boys, where did y'all go?" Penelope called out as she and Angel went to look for them. "I'm so happy and excited! I have so much to say!"

"Hey, Penelope!" Clyde's voice called out. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Clyde." Penelope called back. "Where are you boys?"

What Penelope didn't know, was that it was the Hooded Claw impersonating Clyde's voice.

"We're in the back room, straight across!" He called out in his impression of Clyde.

Penelope: "Don't go away, fellas! I'll be right there!"

Penelope and Angel went to the back room straight across from them. After she closed the door behind her, Penelope gasped in shock and horror as she saw the Ant Hill Mob tied up and gagged by the Bully Brothers.

_Oh no! The Ant Hill Mob's been captured by the Bully Brothers._

Angel Charged for the Bully Brothers but they muzzled her and placed her in a crate.

_Now Angel can't defend her owner._

Penelope, horrified, tried to call for help, but the Hooded Claw, from behind her clamped his hand over her mouth and wrapped his other arm around her waist.

"Nice work, Bully Brothers. Now help me take them away!" The Hooded Claw gave a wicked smile.

_This is not good at all! What does that foul fiend want with everyone, not just Penelope?"_

Hooded Claw: "That? Oh, you'll see."

The Hooded Claw laughed evilly as he carried his hand-gagged victim out while the Bully Brothers led a caged and muzzled Angel and the bound and gagged Ant Hill Mob.


	9. A Sinister Secret No More

_Meanwhile, in the dungeon of the Hooded Claw's New York City hideout, Penelope, her dog and her protectors are in chains and left to wonder what diabolical plan he has for them._

In a dark hideout in the city, Penelope, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob were chained up in a large, cold dungeon.

"Kinda strange that he's captured all of us." Penelope thought. "Considering I'm the one he mostly wants."

"Indeed." Clyde replied. "I wonder why."

Dum-Dum: "Uh, we're trapped like, uh…uh…"

"Mice, you dum-dum." Clyde corrected him.

Dum-Dum: "Oh yeah, mice. Or is it rats?"

"We just have to get out of here!" Softy sobbed. "But how?"

"I'll reach in my pockets and get the key." Pockets told everyone else.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) You can't do that. The Hooded Claw's here (giggle)."

The Hooded Claw came down into the dungeon with the Bully Brothers.

"It's great to see everyone again, and I mean everyone." The Hooded Claw laughed with a sinister grin. "I trust you all had some time to get comfortable while you await your demise."

"What do you think?" Clyde scowled.

"I think I'll take that as a yes." The Hooded Claw sneered. "You may unchain them now, Bully Brothers."

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers replied in unison.

"Thank you for at least being kind enough to let us out." Penelope said as the Bully Brothers unlocked the chains holding her, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob. "That little ole dungeon is just too cold and gloomy."

Hooded Claw: "Just because you've been set free doesn't mean I'll let you go. There's a lot of evil doing to be done with you, so all of you follow me."

The Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers brought the heroes into a tower in the hideout.

_What terrifying fate awaits our heroes in this terrifying tower?_

"What terrifying fate awaits me and the Ant Hill Mob in this terrifying tower you hooded cad?" Penelope asked with a stern look and voice.

"This terrifying tower is strictly reserved for those seven termites and that precious puppy of yours. So they won't be able to save you this time." The Hooded Claw replied with a smile that showed arrogance. "I'll take care of them as soon as I'm through with you, Pitstop."

He then turned to the Ant Hill Mob.

"What I'll do to you and that mutt I don't know quite yet, but I'll think of something." He sneered in their faces.

His expression went from arrogant to a sinister, intimidating grin.

"And Pitstop, before I do you in, you're in for a big surprise." He smirked as he approached Penelope. "In fact, the very last big surprise of your life."

"What do you mean, Claw?" Penelope's wondered with a perplexed look on her face.

_What is that fiend going to do to her!?_

"Have you ever wondered who the Hooded Claw truly is?" The Hooded Claw continued to walk slowly toward her in a threatening manner. "Have you ever been in search of the truth of the man behind the mask and why this very man behind the mask constantly tried to hunt you down everywhere you went to try to do you in?"

"I have." Penelope answered, her voice quiet and nervous as the Hooded Claw's approach made her shiver. "A countless number of times."

"That's what I thought." The Hooded Claw grinned a wicked grin like no other and laughed evilly. "My dear, since you'll be gone real soon, it's high time you learn the hard, sad truth to who the Hooded Claw really is. Pay close attention. You will love this."

From there, he held his cape, flipped his arm back and reappeared as Sylvester Sneekly.

Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob were horrified to see that. But the most horrified of all was Penelope.

"Sylvester Sneekly!" Penelope gasped in a shaking voice as a delicate little tear fell from her eye and she trembled in fright. "Is this really true?"

"As a matter of fact, it is true." Sneekly gave a wicked smile, his voice cold. "You saw the whole thing, my dear, and why else did that snarling beast of yours try to bite me earlier?"

"I don't understand…" Penelope was close to crying. "You have been so kind to me in the past. You took me in after the deaths of my mother and father. You helped me cope with my parents' deaths and served as my father figure. You took care of me in sickness and stayed by my bedside when I was in the hospital two hours ago. I have done nothing bad to you! What made you turn against me like this!?"

Sneekly smiled evilly as he began to tell her the truth.

"If you recall, a while after the demise of your beloved father, years after the passing of your dear sweet mother, it was stated by a lawyer that you were first in line to inherit your family's fortune." Sneekly explained in a dark voice as he circled his terrified captive like a shark preying on a goldfish. "The lawyer also made it clear that heaven forbid anything should happen to you before the day you turn twenty-one, the Pitstop fortune would go to me."

He got closer to her, got in her face and looked into her eyes with pure evil. She sharply turned her head in fear as her eyes met Sneekly's.

"Of course being second in line, I didn't stand a chance. I had to find a way to get my hands on your fortune somehow and by somehow, I mean doing you in. I would've done it as your trusted and devoted guardian Sylvester Sneekly, but then I'd be the prime suspect for your death. But, if you were done in by another person, like, the Hooded Claw, no one would ever know it was me and the Pitstop fortune would be all mine! Now you know my dear, but it won't matter because I'm not about to rest until I finally get rid of you and get what my heart of stone desires! And I still plan to!"

Sneekly gave an evil laugh after his explanation that filled the room.

"You…" Penelope snarled through her tears as she went after him. "You monster! How could you be so cruel and selfish!?"

"Control her, Bully Brothers!" Sneekly shouted.

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers answered as they each grabbed Penelope on one side.

"Listen to me, Pitstop." Sneekly hissed. " The Hooded Claw may have been revealed, but he still exists until your very life is finished, starting now."

Sneekly took out his large green hat and cape, flipped his arm and reappeared as the Hooded Claw.

"Come with me, sweetheart." The Hooded Claw told her quietly with a sinister smirk as he took her to his side.

"I won't!" Penelope snapped. "Not after what you've done to me!"

Angel growled, ran after the Hooded Claw, grabbed the ankle of his trousers with her teeth, and snarled as she tugged at them to get him to let Penelope go.

"Get off me you little flea farm!" The Hooded Claw scowled as he kicked Angel in the face, causing her to let go.

"We'll get that dog in a cage." The Bully Brothers said as they placed Angel in a cage.

"Well, Pitstop, you win this time." The Hooded Claw sneered with sarcasm in his voice. "Because you refuse to cooperate with me…"

He turned his head to the Bully Brothers.

"Seize the Ant Hill Mob." He ordered.

"Yes sir." They replied.

The first Bully Brother took Yak-Yak, and Zippy in one hand and Softy and Snoozy in the other hand. The second Bully Brother took Dum-Dum and Pockets in one hand and Clyde in the other hand.

"Hey, what the!?" Clyde shouted.

"What are you doing!?" Zippy protested.

"Good, now bring them to the window and throw them out good and hard…" The Hooded Claw laughed. "For an easy flying lesson, the long hard way!"

Penelope tearfully stood shivering in her tracks as the Bully Brothers held the Ant Hill Mob out the tower window and above the very high ground.

_I know you don't wanna let that fiend take you, but you can't let the Ant Hill Mob get tossed out!_

"No, please don't!" She begged through sobs. "I'll do what you say just please don't hurt the Ant Hill Mob, or my dog!"

"See Pitstop? Again all it takes is a little persuasion." The Hooded Claw grinned as he ran his fingers through her blonde locks.

"Tie those seven small fries to that post over there." He told the Bully Brothers, pointing to a large post in the center of the room. "Be sure to tie them up real good. We'll get rid of them as soon as we get rid of Pitstop."

"But don't you fret, my child." The Hooded Claw told Penelope in sarcastic sympathy. "I'll let you say goodbye to your friends and your dog before you're all through."

Penelope walked over to the Ant Hill Mob and the cage Angel was locked in.

"Goodbye, Angel." Penelope wept as she stroked her dog's fur through the cage bar. Angel sadly nuzzled Penelope's wrist. "You're a good dog and I love you."

"Goodbye, fellas." She whispered. "Stay strong for me."

"Goodbye, Penelope." The Ant Hill Mob replied sadly.

"I'm so sorry." Penelope choked before she buried her face onto Clyde's shoulders and sobbed.

"You did nothing wrong, Penelope." Clyde comforted her as he hugged her. "It's that fiend who's doing this. It's you who needs to stay strong more. It's gonna be okay."

"Come on! Get this over with!" The Hooded Claw snarled as he took Penelope to his side and as the Bully Brothers snatched up the Ant Hill Mob and started tying them up to the large post. "I'm running out of time and patience. I can't wait any longer to get that fortune. Come with me, my dear Penelope."

Penelope bowed her head and shed fresh tears as she followed her betrayer out of the room. Before she left the room, however, she looked back at the Ant Hill Mob and at Angel with a heartbroken look on her face.

"It was nice knowing you, boys." She sniffed. "I love you all."

"Are you coming, Pitstop, or do I have to make you come!?" The Hooded Claw snapped at her.

She scurried behind the Hooded Claw, her head still bowed and tears streaming down. The tied-up Ant Hill Mob watched with devastated looks on their faces, even Yak-Yak's.

_What a devastating moment. As the Ant Hill Mob and Angel are trapped in the tower, the Hooded Claw is back in the dungeon prepping our heartbroken, horror-struck heroine for his latest trap._

The Hooded Claw took Penelope back to the dungeon where she and the Ant Hill Mob were earlier and had her tied up onto a platform. Her arms tied to her sides, her legs tied up above her knees and her ankles tied together.

Hooded Claw: "Even the Devil himself couldn't have planned anything more diabolical."

He looked at his shivering, crying captive with a nefarious smile as he strapped her hands and lower legs down with heavy leather brown straps that were attached to the sides of the platform.

"This time, Pitstop, there is no getting away! For if you notice you are tied up and strapped to this very platform." He began to explain his peril pointing up to a very sharp blade that was extremely high above Penelope's chest. "If you look up, high above you is a freshly sharpened pendulum. In a few moments, I'll pull the switch that you see across you, causing the pendulum to slowly lower down, swinging back and forth, until it slices you up like a holiday turkey!"

The Hooded Claw gave a full-out evil laugh after his explanation before turning to the bound, scared Penelope as tears fell from her eyes and stained her scarf and coat.

"Keep your pretty little chin up, Penelope. The pendulum is aimed straight for your broken heart, and will put you out of your misery for good." He grinned as he took out a small handkerchief and wiped Penelope's tears with it.

As he looked into Penelope's eyes again, she once again turned her head and welled up even more. Sneekly had caused her such great terror from what he'd done to her that she was even too scared to look him in the eye. Just his presence did not settle her.

"Now what was that reaction for, Pitstop?" The Hooded Claw sneered.

"How can you be so proud of yourself, Mr. Sneekly?" Penelope sobbed. "I don't even know what to call you anymore now that you've revealed yourself as the Hooded Claw. All you ever did was lie to me! You turned your back on me and my family all because you let your greed control you! My parents must be looking down on you with shame, especially my Dear Daddy! Can't you see how hurt I am by your actions?"

"Oh, I understand Pitstop." The Hooded Claw smiled in a dark, cold voice as he approached her, causing her to turn her head again. "But it will all be worth it once you're finished and I claim your fortune!"

He took out a small timer.

"If you'll also notice, this timer shows how long the pendulum above takes to lower!" The Hooded Claw told Penelope. "It will take as little as ten minutes to lower down and slice you in two! You may think ten minutes is plenty of time, but trust me my dear, it isn't!"

Penelope's heart pounded quickly and even more tears fell from her face and she looked with terror as the Hooded Claw placed the timer down and the pendulum started to lower down, swinging back and forth.

"Soon the only three people I'll be sharing the Pitstop fortune with will be Me, Myself, and I!" The Hooded Claw shouted.

The Hooded Claw gave a full-out, triumphant, evil laugh before he dashed out the dungeon's wooden door and locked it.

_And so that horrible hooded snake makes off, leaving Penelope with only ten minutes left and no escape._

Penelope tried to move as an attempt to escape, but to no avail. Feeling hurt, frightened and out of hope, she shivered with cold and fear and she started to cry once more. She longed for the Ant Hill Mob to escape their trap and to save her. To take her away from this dreadful, real-life nightmare that she was not able to wake up from.

But mostly, she grieved and longed for her deceased mother and father. She wished for their souls to return from heaven to hold and soothe their wounded, frightened baby girl.

"Penelope…" Said a woman's voice that sounded familiar to Penelope, catching her attention.

"Mama?" Penelope whispered.

"Penelope…" Said a Southern man's voice that was also familiar to Penelope.

Penelope: "Dear Daddy?"

The spirits of Penelope's mother, Pamela, and Penelope's father, Paul appeared with looks of love and sympathy.

"Oh, mama! Dear daddy! It's you!" Penelope was stunned to see them again.

Pamela gave Penelope a tender hug and rested a comforting, gentle hand on Penelope's cheek and Paul stroked her hair.

"I miss you both so much." Penelope wept.

"Shh. Hush now, my little lamb." Pamela whispered as she kissed her distressed crying daughter. "Everything's okay. We're right here."

"I needed you so badly." Penelope told her parents through tears. "Mr. Sneekly did something terrible to me, just so he can get the family fortune. He tried to do me in billions of times just so he can claim the fortune. He lied to me and he turned his back on our family. That selfish cad! I should've known!"

"Heavens, I can't believe this. I never dreamed my own business secretary and trusted friend would hurt you like this. He was always so kind to you since you were born." Paul said. "Penelope my dear, I want you to listen to me. This is a hard time for you, but it's important that you stay strong in this time and to not let him cause you any more harm or terror."

"How can I?" Penelope sniffed. "His villainous alter ego, called the Hooded Claw, tied me up and strapped me down too well. I can't get out and there's not much time left before that pendulum comes down. I hope the Ant Hill Mob comes soon. They're all I have now. I'm so frightened."

"Don't be frightened, Penelope." Pamela told her little girl in a soft voice. "You have grown into a strong, skilled, kind woman. I watch you grow and learn from heaven above. I have hope you can get through the pain, fear and sadness that has struck you."

Penelope: "I wish y'all were here with me."

"Penelope, your dear daddy and I are always with you." Pamela whispered. "No matter where you are, we're with you, even when you can't see us. We're here. Keep us in your heart."

Pamela and Paul each gave Penelope a gentle kiss before disappearing.

"No, no please." Penelope sobbed. "Mother, dear daddy! Please, please don't leave me. I'm so afraid. I wish you were still alive. Please don't leave me."

Penelope was left alone, hurt, scared and in tears as the pendulum lowered down. She needed the Ant Hill Mob more than anything.

"Oh fellas, where are you?" She thought to herself before she continued weeping in fear and hopelessness.


	10. It's Never Your Fault

_While that pendulum swings back and forth and lowers and lowers down on the hurt, petrified Penelope, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob struggle to get free themselves._

Back in the tower, Angel was trying to unlock the cage she was trapped in with her paw and the Ant Hill Mob was trying to get loose from the post they were tied to.

"We just have to get out of here!" Said Clyde with determination as he and the rest of the Mob struggled to get out of their bonds by moving, to no avail. "But those blundering Bully Brothers tied us tight!"

"Just face the facts, Clyde." Softy sobbed. "We're tied too tightly. We'll never get out of here. Never!"

Snoozy: "Yeah, never (snore)."

Zippy: "But we can't give up. Penelope's in peril! She's counting on us!"

Angel kept trying to get free from the cage until she was able to successfully unlock the cage and from there she ran out of the cage to untie the Ant Hill Mob.

_Good girl, Angel! Now that you're free you need to get the Ant Hill Mob loose so that they can get Penelope loose, as well._

Angel tried to untie the knots of the rope tying the Ant Hill Mob with her teeth, but the rope was just too well-tied.

_Sorry, Angel, but there's no time for you to untie the Ant Hill Mob yourself._

"Sorry, girl, But I don't think there's time to untie us yourself." Clyde told Angel.

"Penelope might not have much time left to live." Dum-Dum worried.

He then turned his head to Pockets.

"Pockets, can you still get to your pockets? We need to break free and save Penelope."

"I'll try." Pockets replied as he attempted moved his hands to get to his pockets. "A-ha! Don't worry guys. I'll get out a pair of scissors to break these ropes."

He took out a pair of scissors with long, strong blades and cut the ropes around the Mob.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Softy wept. "We're free!"

"Now all we need to do is find where the Hooded Claw, or, should we say that horrible Sylvester Sneekly, took Penelope." Clyde told the others. "Remember when we watched them leave the tower? Penelope went straight out the door and took a right turn. The question is, where from the right turn did that villain take her to?"

Angel walked out the tower door ahead of the Ant Hill Mob, sniffed Penelope's scent, and barked.

"Which way did she go, Angel?" Zippy asked. "Which way?"

Angel barked, walked to the right turn, and pointed downwards.

"So the Hooded Claw took Penelope downstairs from here." Clyde told the others. "Down that long stairway."

The Ant Hill Mob looked down at the very long stairway and gave worried looks and gulps.

"You mean…we have to go…all the way…down…there?" Dum-Dum asked nervously.

Dum-Dum then fainted with a loud crash.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) Dum-Dum's down for the count! (Giggle)"

"Oh no! Man down!" Zippy shouted as Softy and Pockets waved their hands in front of Dum-Dum's face like fans and Angel licked his face to wake him up.

"Get a hold of yourself you dum-dum." Clyde said sternly and quietly as he lightly slapped Dum-Dum's face to help with the wake-up. "Yes it's a long way down, but Penelope's down there and she needs help. Just be careful, but be quick."

_Yes, be careful but be very quick, there's only a short amount of time before that pendulum goes down._

The Ant Hill Mob and Angel quickly but carefully climbed the long stairway down, however, by the time they were halfway across the stairs and still had a long way to go, Angel was getting nervous for Penelope's life and safety, so she ran down, accidentally causing Zippy and Dum-Dum to fall on the rest of the Mob, turning them into a large human-and-dog ball that came crashing down the stairs.

The Ant Hill Mob groaned in pain before getting up with Angel.

_Their plan got tripped-up, but at least they got down those stairs much quicker._

"My head." Clyde groaned as he stood back up. "Is everyone alright?"

"We're alright, Clyde." Zippy replied as Angel helped him and the rest of the Ant Hill Mob back to their feet. "We're alright."

Clyde: "But Penelope won't be if we don't get to her. Where do we go now, Angel?"

Angel barked and pointed straight across.

"Keep following Angel, you guys, Penelope's gotta be somewhere down here." Clyde told everyone else. "And be sure to stay quiet. The Hooded Claw could be around here looking for us."

The Ant Hill Mob continued to follow Angel on Penelope's trail, however, just after they took off, Angel heard footsteps, so she turned around and growled.

"What is it, Angel?" Clyde wondered what Angel was growling at.

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) Take a look behind you."

The Ant Hill Mob turned and froze in their tracks with shocked looks when they saw the Bully Brothers.

"So, you thought you could get away just to save your pretty little friend." The Bully Brothers threatened the Ant Hill Mob as they snatched them up. "Wait until the boss hears about this."

"Put us down!" Dum-Dum yelled.

"Save us, Angel!" Softy wailed.

"Sic them, girl!" Clyde shouted to Angel.

With a snarl, Angel ran after the Bully Brothers, knocked them down and started to attack them, causing them to let go of the Ant Hill Mob.

"Keep fighting those creeps, Angel." Clyde yelled as he and the rest of the Mob ran while Angel kept fighting the Bully Brothers, biting them and ruffling them up until they ran away.

_Nice guard dog skills, Angel. That takes care of the Bully Brothers._

"That takes care of those creeps." Clyde smiled as he took a breath of relief. "But now which way do we go?"

Angel sniffed Penelope's scent, barked and led the Ant Hill Mob back on the trail for Penelope.

"After that dog!" Clyde shouted to the others as they followed Angel.

Back in the dungeon, Penelope was still tied up and strapped to the platform, the pendulum still lowering down and coming close to her. She was still crying quietly in hurt and fear from her guardian's betrayal.

_Listen to me, Penelope. I know things are grim and difficult for you right now, but you need to be brave. The Ant Hill Mob and Angel are hot on your trail._

Penelope raised her head when she heard Angel barking and whimpering and scratching the dungeon door.

_Well what do you know? They found you, Penelope!_

"Angel?" Penelope whispered.

Angel whimpered as she kept scratching the door.

"I'll bet Penelope's in the dungeon." Said Pockets as the Ant Hill Mob went to Angel by the door.

"I think you're right." Clyde replied. "But to be on the safe side, we need to make sure. Penelope, is that you in there? It's us!"

"Yes! It is me, boys! I'm in here!" Penelope called out from behind the door. "The Hooded Claw's locked me in! I'm tied up and strapped down! I can't get out!"

"Quick, Pockets!" Clyde told Pockets. "Do you have the key?"

Pockets checked his pockets for a key to the dungeon, but he was not able to find one.

Pockets: "Sorry, guys, but I don't have a key to the dungeon."

Clyde: "Well we need to get Penelope out of here somehow."

"Oh please hurry boys." Penelope begged through tears. "The pendulum's getting lower and lower! There's not much time left!"

"Wait a minute, I got something." Pockets told everyone else as he pulled out an axe.

"Bingo! Quick, hand me that axe!" Said Clyde as Pockets gave him the axe. "Okay you guys, help me up so we can do this. Penelope, stay right where you are! We'll be in right away!"

The Ant Hill Mob formed a human chain with Clyde on top so that he could swing the axe to get the door open.

Penelope tensed up and looked with terror as the pendulum got lower as Clyde kept swinging the axe hard with determination to get in and save her.

With one last swing of the axe, Clyde successfully got the door open and the Ant Hill Mob fell through as Angel ran, but they quickly got up.

_Thank goodness they got in to save Penelope, but time is running out!_

"Listen boys, do you see that switch next to you?" Penelope called out. "You need to pull it right away!"

"You got it, Penelope!" Zippy answered as he sped to the switch. "You got it!"

Zippy pulled the switch, stopping the pendulum just before it could hit Penelope as the timer went off.

_Nice work stopping the pendulum, Zippy, but one move and Penelope could really get hurt._

"Nice going, Zippy." Clyde told Zippy.

"Oh, it was nothing Clyde." Zippy replied with a smile.

"Of course, and Penelope will turn into nothing with even the slightest move." Clyde frowned. "The pendulum's too close."

"Oh dear." Zippy realized. "Sorry about that, Penelope. I'll get that pendulum away from you."

Zippy, with help from the rest of the Mob, pulled the switch, causing the pendulum to rise above and away from Penelope, who took a breath of relief.

"Now hold very still, Penelope." Pockets told Penelope as he took out a strong pair of scissors and as Angel started untying the rope around her ankles. "Angel and I will get you free."

Angel untied the rope around Penelope's ankles with her teeth and Pockets used his scissors to cut the straps holding Penelope down as well as the rest of her bonds.

"Oh, Angel!" Penelope cried in joy as Angel ran and leapt into her arms and licked her face before Penelope ran to the Ant Hill Mob. "Fellas! I thought I'd never see you again!"

"We thought the same thing." Clyde replied as he hugged Penelope.

Penelope let out a whimper, welled up again and buried her face in Angel's fur. Angel gave Penelope a gentle kiss.

The Ant Hill Mob didn't have to ask what was wrong. She was still so shook up from the Hooded Claw revealing himself as Sylvester Sneekly.

"Come with us, Penelope." Clyde said quietly. "We'll get you out of this dungeon and where it's warm."

The Ant Hill Mob took Penelope to another room in the hideout. Clyde started the fireplace that Penelope was kneeling by and Pockets took out a warm blanket and wrapped it around Penelope's shoulders.

Penelope was so overcome with great fright, grief and sadness, that she, unable to even speak, quivered terribly and broke down crying again.

"It's okay, Penelope." Clyde gently whispered as Penelope buried her face onto his shoulder and sobbed. "It's gonna be okay."

_Poor Penelope. What an awful time for her. All she has left now is the Ant Hill Mob._

The rest of the mob bowed their heads and showed looks of sorrow for their friend as they went to comfort her, even Yak-Yak showed sadness. Angel sadly nuzzled Penelope.

"There, there, Penelope." Softy wept. "You're gonna make me cry, too."

"You're safe now, and we're right here Penelope." Zippy reassured her.

"You poor thing." Said Dum-Dum. "It's okay now. We won't let him hurt you again. We promise."

"Shh. It's okay." Clyde whispered as he held the crying, trembling Penelope. "We're right here. Right here to protect you. And we will protect you. We promise you. It's okay."

Just being held and whispered to helped Penelope during her time of distress. After a few minutes, Penelope's crying had calmed down, but she was run down and shook up by what Sneekly had done to her. Her tired, tearstained head rested in Clyde's lap. Pockets gave her a small handkerchief.

"Penelope, I don't believe any of us have ever seen you like this before." Clyde told her quietly. "It's just that you're a strong, brave young lady."

"Yes, and there's never been much reason for me to feel this way, until now." Penelope wept. "I have never felt so frightened as I have until now."

"It's a frightening situation to be in, Penelope." Clyde replied.

"It just doesn't seem real. I can't believe that my own guardian was the Hooded Claw." Penelope sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "The man who was so good to me in the past, the man who was like a second father to me, the man I looked up to, the man who was always trusted and devoted. I never dreamed Mr. Sneekly would do this. I only saw the good in him because he cared about me, or so I thought."

She then cried into Clyde's lap. The Ant Hill Mob went to hug her, one Mob member at a time.

"We didn't know Sylvester Sneekly was the Hooded Claw, either, Penelope." Zippy told her as he hugged her.

"I wish was never heiress to the Pitstop fortune." Penelope cried. "None of this would've happened. Mr. Sneekly wouldn't have turned against me with his horrible greed."

"Things happen, Penelope. People will change. Sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad." Clyde reassured her. "It's not you who's to blame, it's him. What Sneekly did to you is not your fault."

Yak-Yak: "It never has been your fault."

Pockets: "And it never will be your fault."

"You are a very kind, beautiful girl, inside and out." Clyde told her. "Mostly, inside. Of all the people we know, you have a huge heart of gold, and so much class up your pretty little finger. You're full of confidence, optimism, grace, and love towards others. You bring light with you every place you go, even when it's raining, dark or snowing."

"Listen Penelope, just because your guardian turned his back, and his heart, against you doesn't mean you're not loved." Said Zippy.

"And you are loved, Penelope!" Softy sobbed.

"You are indeed loved by a number of other people." Said Clyde with a smile. "The people down in your hometown love you, Chuggaboom loves you, your dog Angel over here loves you, your family from out of home, the man back at home named Peter loves you, your mother and father loved you, and we love you."

_And I love you, Penelope._

"I saw my mother and father…" Penelope whispered.

"You did?" The Mob was confused at first.

"Their spirits came to me, to give me love and comfort when I was captured and frightened..." She told her protectors. "To tell me everything's okay and to be strong. Don't you boys believe me?"

"Of course we believe you, Penelope." Dum-Dum replied. "We know how much you miss them."

"I do miss them…" Penelope sobbed. "Every day. Especially my mama. I was only six years old when she passed away. I wish they were here with me, especially right now."

"We know…" Clyde whispered as he held Penelope. "We understand."

Penelope: "I wish they'd come back to help heal their sweet little lamb. They always called me that."

"I can see why." Clyde replied. "Your heart and soul are loving, gentle and innocent, just like the lamb. Your mother and father are probably looking down from heaven, smiling at you over the brave, strong, optimistic, kind, beautiful young woman you've grown to be. I'm sure their proud of you, kiddo."

"What am I gonna do, fellas?" Penelope sighed through tears. "Mr. Sneekly's caused me such great horror by his little ole actions, that I'm just too scared to face him."

Clyde:"You're gonna have to face him again, one of these days, but you can't let him hurt you."

The Ant Hill Mob smiled at Penelope, showing their faith in her.

Zippy: "Sure he might be bigger than you, sure he might be older than you, and sure he might have hurt you, but you're much better than him."

Pockets: "But you need to show that. Don't give up."

"But if you need backup, we'll be right here for you." Clyde said as he patted Penelope's shoulder.

"We always have been there for you." Softy cried.

"And we always will be." Dum-Dum told her.

"That's right." Clyde promised Penelope. "Whenever you need us for help and protection, for some company, for some shoulders to cry on, or to just simply talk. Call for us. We'll be there any time."

"And we'll be right here for you during this time of fear and hurt." Zippy smiled.

Clyde: "That's right. We're on your side, Penelope."

Yak-Yak: "We've always been on your side."

Softy: "We always will be (Sob)!"

Snoozy: "Yeah, always will be (Snore)."

Pockets: "Like we said, if you need anything, call on us."

Clyde: "You can always count on us, Penelope."

Though tears still stung her eyes, Penelope smiled and hugged the Ant Hill Mob.

"Indeed you fellas have always been there for me through every little ole thing. I know who my real guardians are." She complimented them. "I love you."

"We love you, Penelope." Clyde said quietly. "Are you okay?"

Penelope stood back up, smiling and wiping a tear.

"I am now." Penelope replied as she smiled. Though tears were in her eyes, she kept her head held high.

"Sylvester Sneekly has turned his back against me and has tried to do me in just so he can have the Pitstop fortune to himself, but I will never let him hurt me again. I'll prove to him that I will win because of my kindness and love, which makes me a better person than he is. I'm no longer afraid of him, nor will I ever be. With you guys on my side, I will get past this. I will heal, even if it takes a little ole while. The pain will get better, because I believe in myself and that things get better. Next time I see the Hooded Claw, I'll be ready for him."

_That a girl, Penelope! It's great to see you have your courage and hope back, and it's great to see that you've come off stronger and are ready to show that villain that you're unstoppable!_


	11. Teamwork is the Strongest Thing

"Come on, fellas." Penelope told the Ant Hill Mob. "Now that I've been rescued and now that everything's okay again, let's get out of here!"

_And so with all her fears and sorrow cast aside, Penelope makes haste with the Ant Hill Mob out of the Hooded Claw's horrific hideout…_

Penelope scooped up Angel and held her in her arms as she and the Ant Hill Mob left the room and ran out to the hideout's main door.

Unfortunately, just as Penelope, with Angel still in her arms, and the Ant Hill Mob got close to the door, it slammed shut.

_Oh no! The good guys got locked in!_

The Hooded Claw's evil laughter made Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob turn their heads in shock.

"Leaving so soon?" The Hooded Claw grinned wickedly as he appeared with the Bully Brothers. "Oh, come now. This party's only getting started."

"This is one party I won't mind skipping." Said Dum-Dum.

"Yes, and I like parties." Penelope replied. "We just have to get out of here."

"But how, Penelope?" Softy sobbed. "We're trapped!"

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) And we can't do anything about it. Not with them here! (Giggle)."

"I'm not letting you waste my time just standing there shaking in your tracks." The Hooded Claw warned the heroes. "You meddlers are finished, starting with you, Pitstop!"

"That's what you think, Claw!" Penelope scowled at him. "I'm not afraid of you, anymore! And I'll prove it!"

"Here Penelope, take this!" Pockets said as he tossed a small explosive to Penelope.

"Thank you, Pockets." She told him as she threw the explosive to the ground, creating a smokescreen that blinded the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers.

From there, Penelope, holding Angel, ran off with the Ant Hill Mob.

As soon as the smokescreen cleared, the villains finished coughing and turned, only to see Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob running off.

"Blast! Their getting away!" The Hooded Claw shouted in anger. "Seize them, Bully Brothers!"

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers replied as they darted off to chase the heroes.

An angered Hooded Claw followed his henchmen.

_With that foul fiend and the Bully Brothers hot on their trail and on the hunt for them, Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob come out of hiding to find a way out._

"Phew." Penelope took a breath. "I think we lost them."

"Yeah, I think so, too." Clyde replied. "But now which way do we go?"

"I know where!" Zippy told everyone else. "I know! Follow me!"

Zippy led the others out as they ran straight across and to the right, where an entry was. However, the Bully Brothers caught the heroes, scaring them.

"Quick, the other way!" Zippy shouted as Penelope and the Mob turned around and ran the other way.

_Run for your lives heroes!_

"Isn't there another exit?" Penelope asked with fear as she and the Mob kept running.

"There's gotta be." Clyde said. "But where?"

Angel leapt out of Penelope's arms, sniffed a trail and barked.

"Which way do we go, Angel?" Penelope asked her dog.

Angel pointed to the left.

"You heard Angel." Clyde told everyone else. "Go left!"

"We've got to hurry!" Penelope told her protectors. "I hear them coming! They're getting closer!"

"Darn right we're getting closer, Pitstop!" The Hooded Claw shouted as he and the Bully Brothers kept running to catch them.

"Lead the way, Angel!" Clyde shouted. "Hurry!"

Angel quickly led the heroes to the left, but the villains were still after them. While Penelope and the Mob kept running, Angel, with barks and snarls, ran after the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers and started attacking them and trying to outfox them.

Clyde: "You'd better go first, Penelope. You're the one they're mostly after."

"You're right, I will." Penelope agreed. "Thanks fellas, but what about you?"

"We'll be right behind you." Clyde reassured her. "Don't worry about us. We'll be okay."

"I hope so." Penelope worried as she made her way up the stairs.

"Nice doggie!" The Bully Brothers cried as Angel kept ruffling them and their master up. "Stop! Down girl!"

"Knock it off, mangy mutt!" The Hooded Claw snarled as he got back up after Angel finished ruffling him up and escaped to find Penelope. "Of all the reasons I hate dogs!"

_Thank heaven Penelope was able to get away._

Penelope: "Thank heaven I was able to get away, but the Ant Hill Mob should be here by now."

She heard Angel barking and whimpering while running up to her.

"Angel, what's wrong?" Penelope showed concern.

_Angel's trying to tell you something Penelope._

"Where's the Ant Hill Mob?" Penelope asked. "Please do take me to them."

Angel gave Penelope the leash and led her inside the hideout, where they saw the Ant Hill Mob tied up in what looked like an ore (mining) cart on some tracks.

"Boo!" The Hooded Claw popped out from the entry and grabbed Penelope's arm with a sinister laugh. "I'm glad you stopped in for a special trap that will finish both you and those fleas!"

"As soon as I tie you up to some tracks, the Ant Hill Mob will race down the tracks, all tied up together in an ore cart just like you notice. After you get run over by the ore cart, the cart will crash and catapult your friends into a giant pool of hungry piranhas!"

The Hooded Claw was about to take Penelope to the tracks, however, by the time he was on the middle of the stairway, Angel raced over and bit the Hooded Claw in the butt, causing him to let go of Penelope's arm.

From there, Penelope wasted no time in rushing downstairs, hoping to find a ways to save her friends before the Hooded Claw could catch up to her.

The Hooded Claw ran after Penelope downstairs to where the tracks were, but Angel charged at him, attacking him.

"Stupid dog! Stop that!" The Hooded Claw yelled. "Bully Brothers, get her ready and start the trap from here!"

"Right, Claw." The Bully Brothers answered as the snatched up Penelope, tied her to the tracks, and started the ore cart holding the bound Ant Hill Mob by pushing it down, sending the poor Mob speeding down.

"Help!" The Mob screamed.

"What'll we do now?" Zippy worried. "What can we do?"

Dum-Dum: "Yeah! Everyone's in peril now!"

_Oh dear! What a disaster for everyone. Whatever will our heroes do?_

"I'm not about my horrible guardian win, and I'm certainly not about to let the Ant Hill Mob become piranha dinner." Penelope tried to come up with a plan at the right time. "If Angel can keep attacking the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers as a little ole distraction, I just might be able to stop the ore car and save the fellas."

_While our lovely heroine tries to devise a plan to save herself and the Ant Hill Mob, Angel keeps using her attack dog skills on the Hooded Claw!_

Angel continued to fight the Hooded Claw until he felt sore from all the bites he endured. Despite the pain, he was not about to give up.

Fortunately, Angel spotted a ramp with a rock that was the size of a coconut. She climbed up the ramp and pushed the rock down with her nose, causing it to fall and hit the Hooded Claw's head, knocking him unconscious.

"Boss?" The Bully Brothers worried. "Wake up. Say something. Anything."

Angel snarled and barked at the Bully Brothers, sending them on a chase that distracted them while Penelope, despite being tied up, searched her coat pocket for something.

_With the Claw out cold and the Bully Brothers on a wild dog chase, Penelope searches her pocket for something to spare the Ant Hill Mob's life and hers. But it's only a matter of time!_

"It's got to be somewhere in here" Penelope searched her coat pocket with her hand until she found and pulled out a small mint green container. "A-ha! Found it! My favorite little ole facial mask!"

_A facial mask? Penelope, you couldn't possibly do some cleansing and pampering at a time like this, could you?_

"Heavens no." Said Penelope pulling out a small container of glue. "If I can pair my clay mask with this superglue, I might have a strong chance at stopping that ore car. I hope this combo works."

Penelope squeezed the facial mask container, causing it to squirt out thick streams of the mint green clay mask that landed on the tracks, creating thick puddles, and then she squeezed the superglue bottle that let out streams of super glue that fell on the facial mask puddles.

"Look, guys." Pockets told the rest of the Mob. "Penelope made something to stop the car."

Snoozy: "Yeah, stop the car (Snore)."

The ore car drove onto the clay mask and superglue combo and got stuck in it.

_What do you know? Penelope's clay mask and superglue combo saved our heroes! What a save for everyone!_

"Thanks Penelope!" Softy wept.

"Nice job, Penelope!" Clyde smiled. "You saved us from turning into piranha bait! Now we just need to get untied."

Angel kept fighting the Bully Brothers until she ruffled them up in a room in the hideout. While they were down from the attack, Angel ran out and shut the door, locking it, before rushing to her owner and protectors and barking at them.

"Angel!" Penelope cried happily. "Nice work in stalling those fiends! Now please do get us loose, girl!"

Angel untied the ropes around Penelope with her teeth. While Penelope got back up, Angel afforded the same thing to the Ant Hill Mob.

"Good girl, Angel." Clyde smiled as he and the rest of the Mob jumped out of the ore car and pet Angel.

"Come on, boys." Penelope told the Ant Hill Mob. "We just have to leave now that those fiends can't stop us."

Sadly, Penelope spoke too soon, for the Hooded Claw woke up and scowled in pure hatred as he saw her leaving.

"You…" The Hooded claw growled in a threatening voice as he got close to Penelope and grabbed her arm. "You think you're so brilliant and can outfox me! I've had enough of you!"

Penelope pulled her arm out of his grasp and ran away from him, but the Hooded Claw chased after her.

"Come on you guys!" Clyde told the Mob. "After that villain! We can't let him hurt Penelope!"

They immediately dashed off with Angel.

Penelope climbed up a ladder and up to what looked like the very top of a balcony of the hideout. She saw more staircases that led to the roof of the hideout and climbed them until she reached the hideout's high rooftop.

_Quickly thinking, Penelope races to the hideout's rooftop. Just be very careful on that roof, Penelope._

The Ant Hill Mob got to the balcony and saw Penelope catching her breath on the rooftop. They suddenly showed looks of horror on their faces.

"Penelope, look out behind you!" Clyde shouted.

The Hooded Claw, after making it to the rooftop with the Bully Brothers, kicked Penelope down, causing her to roll down and fall off the roof, only to quickly grab the roof with both her hands. While Penelope held onto the roof, the Hooded Claw showed his refusal to give up and kept smashing her fingers with his foot in hopes that she'd eventually let go.

_Don't let go, whatever you do, Penelope!_

Penelope, even though the Hooded Claw kept smashing her fingers with his foot, kept holding onto the roof and tried to bear the pain. She was starting to get frightened again.

"Did you honestly think I cared about you all those years after your parents' deaths?" The Hooded Claw smirked with pure evil. "I never cared for you or your family! I think you have always been nothing but a sneaky, cunning, ignorant little brat, and a troublesome, airheaded little optimist! The only person who deserves the Pitstop fortune is me! You might as well surrender, Blondie. You can't win!"

The Hooded Claw gave another triumphant, evil laugh. As Penelope held on and looked into her betrayer's eyes, she welled up, turned her head in fright and started to cry.

_Penelope, I know you're feeling scared, but you can't let that villain destroy you!_

"Penelope!" Clyde called out. "Remember what we told you!"

Penelope started to remember what the Ant Hill Mob told her.

"Sure he might be bigger than you, sure he might be older than you, and sure he might have hurt you, but you're much better than him." Zippy's voice played in her head.

"But you need to show that. Don't give up." Pockets' voice echoed in her memory.

"What Sneekly did to you is not your fault." Clyde's voice ringed in her head. "You can't let him hurt you."

Penelope put her fears away and, with a brave face, she climbed to the rooftop ready to show her guardian how unstoppable she was.

"You're wrong, Mr. Sneekly…" Penelope confronted him. "All you did was lie to me and you turned your back against me. You tried to do me in so many times just you can have the Pitstop fortune, but all that's now in the past. I am no longer afraid of you and I will never, ever, allow you to hurt little ole me again. You may think that I can't win, but I will win. I will win with my love and my kindness, all of which make me a much better person than you and your henchmen ever will be…"

_That a girl, Penelope! And look who's here to stand with you!_

The Ant Hill Mob and Angel got to the roof and stood by Penelope. She looked at them with a smile and turned her face to the Hooded Claw and Bully Brothers.

"I know who my real guardians are, and with them on my side, I will get past the pain, fear and sadness that you caused me when you revealed your true self, because they've been there for me through everything and I always believe that time heals all wounds! And with the Ant Hill Mob on my side, I will be unstoppable, for teamwork is the strongest thing in this world! Together we stand! We're ready to face you down any time!"

_Indeed teamwork is the strongest thing in this world, and with the Ant Hill Mob standing with you, you'll never go wrong Penelope!_

"We need to get out of here, but not with the Hooded Claw still on to us." Penelope told the Ant Hill Mob and Angel. "Boys, Angel, follow me."

The heroes ran past the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers.

"Let's go, Bully Brothers!" The Hooded Claw ordered. "We need to stop those do-gooders!"

"Yes sir." The Bully Brothers replied as they dashed off with their boss.

_Penelope, are you leading those do-badders on yet another hunt for you?_

"Indeed I am. It's all part of my plan to stop them." Penelope said as she and the Ant Hill Mob were chased by the villains.

They ran into the same area they were trapped in earlier that had the ore car and the tracks and the pool of hungry piranhas.

"Here's where we'll devise our plan." Penelope told her protectors and her dog.

"Uh, weren't we just here earlier?" Dum-Dum wondered.

"Indeed we were." Penelope replied. "Listen up."

Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob put their heads together in a circle and whispered a plan.

_While our heroes form their plan, the villains are close to finding them._

"Which way do we go now, boss?" The Bully Brothers wondered.

The Hooded Claw looked at the ground, studying some footprints left by Penelope, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob.

"From the looks of these footprints, they went that a-way." He replied pointing at his left. "Let's go."

"First thing we need to do is unstick that stuck ore cart." Clyde told the others as he stood by the ore car. "But how are we gonna do that?"

"Leave that up to me." Pockets replied as he took out a device with a sharp end. "One ore cart unstick device coming up."

"Nice work, Pockets!" Clyde told Pockets with a smile.

"Now hold the ore cart still while I get the wheels out of these clay and glue puddles." Pockets told Penelope as she held onto the ore car. "Then you push the ore cart where it first was."

After Pockets successfully used his device to get the wheels of the ore car free from the clay mask and superglue puddles, Penelope pushed the ore cart back to where it first was before the Ant Hill Mob got tied up in it.

_I hope everyone knows what they're doing, because from the sounds of those footsteps, the Hooded Claw is about to come!_

"Oh dear!" Penelope worried. "Even though we're far from the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers, I hear their footsteps. Does everyone know what to do?"

"We sure do!" Dum-Dum replied.

Zippy: "We're ready for that villain of villains!"

"Good!" Penelope told them as she got in the ore cart. "I'll stay in this ore cart as bait; you boys go out and lead him in!"

The Ant Hill Mob sped out of the area and saw the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers.

"Well, well, well." The Hooded Claw grinned evilly. "Looks like you little ragamuffins got caught."

"Well if you wanna catch us, you'll have to chase us down first!" Clyde taunted the Claw as he and the others led them on another pursuit to the area.

Once the villains chased the Mob into the area, they saw Penelope in the ore car.

"There she is, Bully Brothers." The Hooded Claw laughed. "Help me capture her."

"Right Claw." The Bully Brothers answered as they and their boss got ready for the capture.

_Penelope, what are you waiting for? Those fiends are about to get you._

Penelope: "This is part of my plan."

The villains were about to pounce onto Penelope to capture her, but the Ant Hill Mob grabbed her just in time as they pounced and landed in the ore car.

"Now's the part we all work together on." Penelope told the Ant Hill Mob. "Help me push this ore car down!"

Together, Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob pushed the ore car down, sending the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers speeding down the tracks. The ore car crashed in front of a large brick that sent the villains flying into the pool of piranhas.

_Looks like the tables have turned and the villains got caught in their own trap._

The piranhas looked at the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers with growls and started attacking them. Terrified, the villains climbed out of the pool and held onto part of the ceiling with fear as the piranhas jumped up to try to get them.

"Blast!" The Hooded Claw shouted. "Foiled again! Help me, Bully Brothers, before I turn into piranha bait!"

But the Bully Brothers were too scared to help their boss.

_And now with the villains finally defeated, Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob have a laugh as they make their way out._

On their way out of the hideout, Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob were laughing at the fate of the Hooded Claw before taking deep breaths.

"That takes care of those fiends." Clyde smiled. "You were right, Penelope, teamwork is the strongest thing in this world, and it helped us stop those that truly no-good guardian of yours."

"Indeed it is. Thank goodness I have you boys in my life, to be there for me and to protect me." Penelope smiled as she hugged her protectors. "You boys are true guardians."

She then took out her facial mask container.

"And thank goodness I still have plenty of my facial mask left." She grinned. "I'm looking forward to using it as soon as I get home. All this stress from what Mr. Sneekly has done to me and all these misadventures from today are not good for my little ole skin."

Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) You can't go home now, Penelope. You still have the dog show."

"The dog show…" Penelope gasped as she realized. "With all I've been feeling after Mr. Sneekly's betrayal and my determination to escape the hideout, I had completely forgotten. Oh, Angel I hope they didn't start round two without us."

Luckily for the heroes, Chuggaboom found them by sniffing out their trail.

"Look, here comes Chuggaboom!" Clyde told the others.

"Oh, Chuggy, honey we missed you." Penelope smiled as she stroked Chuggaboom. "Now that we're safe and have escaped, please do take us back to the dog show right away."

"R-r-right!" Chuggaboom said as he drove off to the stadium with Penelope, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob.

_And so with the villains defeated and everything at peace again, our heroes get back to the dog show!_


	12. The Dog Show: Round 2

_Back at the dog show, members of the audience are on the edge of their seats and waiting eagerly for Penelope to return as she and Angel make their way back with the Ant Hill Mob._

Back at the stadium, the announcer and the members of the audience were waiting with nervousness for Penelope and Angel as Chuggaboom was pulling up outside of the stadium.

"Yoo-hoo, Mr. Dog Show Host." Penelope called out as she ran inside the stadium with Angel. "We have returned! Sorry to keep y'all waiting!"

"Why, Miss. Pitstop." The dog show host was no doubt happy and relieved that Penelope and Angel came back safe and sound. "When you and Angel disappeared, you had everybody worried. I'm glad to know that you're safe my dear."

"Indeed we are." Penelope smiled. "Have you started the second round, yet, sir?"

"Miss. Pitstop, after your sudden disappearance, we had to postpone the second round until you came back." The dog show host replied. "For a while we all thought you would never come back."

"Well, all your worries are over, and so are mine." Penelope told the announcer with a smile as the Ant Hill Mob appeared with her. "Angel and I are still prepared. You may begin the second round of the dog show!"

"Thank you, my dear." Said the dog show host as he went to the stadium ring to make his announcement.

"Good luck, Penelope." Clyde told Penelope "Remember, be yourself and stay true to yourself."

"And since we defeated the Hooded Claw, we'll be in the audience this time." Pockets reassured her.

"You can do it, Penelope!" Softy sobbed.

Dum-Dum: "We'll be there to…uh…uh…"

"Support her you Dum-Dum." Clyde corrected him.

Dum-Dum: "Oh yeah, support you."

"Oh thank you, fellas." Penelope blew the Ant Hill Mob another kiss before entering the ring with Angel.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Children of all ages!" The dog show host announced. "I am proud to announce that it is now time for the second round of the New York City Dog Show! The test of canine agility!"

The audience cheered and applauded.

"Excuse me, gentlemen." The dog show host turned to a man in a tuxedo with blonde hair and another man in a tuxedo with brown hair. "Will you please bring out the equipment needed for the agility test?"

The two gentlemen brought out the equipment needed for the agility trial part of the dog show. The equipment consisted of the same equipment that Penelope used earlier when she and Angel were practicing in the park: Two see-saws, two blue tunnels, three tire jumps, a set of weave poles, three single bar jumps and three double bar jumps.

"We may now start the test of canine agility!" The dog show host said. "Are you ready, contestants?"

From the audience, the Ant Hill Mob watched the other handlers and their dogs while Penelope waited her turn. Both Penelope and the Ant Hill Mob were dazzled by the dogs and their agility skills.

"All those dogs did a wonderful job in the round." Softy wept.

Snoozy: "Yeah, wonderful job (Snore)."

"I'm excited to see Angel perform." Dum-Dum whispered.

"Me too." Zippy replied. "She's sure to do great!"

Dog Show Host: "And now ladies and gentlemen, we are down to contestant number eight: Cocker Spaniel/Golden Retriever cross, Angel, and her handler, Miss Penelope Pitstop!"

The crowd cheered as Penelope and Angel entered the center ring.

"Miss Pitstop, are you and Angel ready for the agility trial?" The dog show host asked Penelope.

"We certainly are, Mr. Dog Show Host sir." Penelope smiled as she unhooked Angel's leash.

"Glad to hear it, my dear." The dog show host replied. "Ready, set, go!"

_You can do it, Angel! Show them what you can do!_

Angel ran and leapt over the first and second bar jumps, dashed through the weave bars and one of the tunnels and took a big leap over one of the double-bar jump and one of the tire jumps. She then ran onto the first see-saw, stood still while the see-saw lowered and ran off it, jumped through the second and third tire jumps, ran through the second tunnel, darted through the other side of the weave poles, ran on and off the second see-saw successfully, hurtled over the third bar jump and greatly took huge leaps over the second and third double-bar jumps.

Angel performed the test of agility without messing up or missing a single beat, which dazzled the audience and the Ant Hill Mob.

"Excellent job, ladies!" The Dog show host praised Penelope and Angel as he came up to them while Penelope hooked the leash back on Angel.

"Thank you, Mr. Dog Show Host." Penelope replied with a grin. "All our hard work paid off."

Dog Show Host: "It sure did indeed."

After the other handlers and their dogs performed their tests of dog agility, ending the second round, the host came back to the center ring.

"That concludes the second round!" The dog show host announced. "We would like to take this time for our judges to decide who will win the prize of the New York City Dog Show!"

_With Round Two of the dog show over, Penelope and Angel take their time to relax and to take care of themselves._

While the audience cheered, Penelope was backstage giving Angel a bowl of water.

"Do get plenty of water to drink, Angel." Penelope told Angel, who started to lap down the water. "That agility trial sure is hard work, and it's ever so important to stay hydrated."

After a while, it was time to announce the winner of the New York City Dog Show.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The Dog Show Host called out. "It is finally time for the moment you've all been waiting for! Our wonderful judges have made their decisions, and we are now ready to name the winner of this year's New York City Dog Show."

The audience cheered and clapped.

_Time for the exciting part of the show, I'm eager to see who will take home the prize!_

"Before I begin, however…" The dog show host told all the handlers and their dogs. "I want all of you to know that you all have worked very hard and have put a wonderful amount of hard work and dedication into this show, and because of all your hard work, you are all champions."

_Win or lose, everyone is indeed a champion, no matter what, and so are you, Penelope. Remember that._

"Ladies and gentlemen, time to announce our third, second, and first place winners." The host said as one of the judges gave him an envelope. "In third place, we have… Mr. Jack Hills and his St, Bernard, Nugget."

A lumberjack-like man and his St. Bernard graciously accepted their trophy and medal for the dog and went up to the third place area in the prize stand.

Dog Show Host: "In second place, we have… Mrs. Rose Marie Hathaway and her Maltese, Fifi!"

An older woman in a royal blue and white curl-trimmed coat and her Maltese accepted their trophy and medal with courtesy and went up to the second place area of the prize stand.

_The atmosphere becomes intense as the host of the dog show prepares to announce the grand prize winner. Who will it be?_

"And finally, ladies and gentlemen…" The dog show host began to announce the first place winner. "In first place, and the grand prize winner, of this year's New York City Dog Show is…"

_Who will win this year's dog show?_

The Ant Hill Mob squeezed hands with nervousness and hope.

"Miss Penelope Pitstop and her Cocker Spaniel/Golden Retriever cross, Angel!"

The audience cheered and applauded loudly with excitement as Penelope, with humbleness and good manners, accepted the prize and went up to the top middle of the prize stand with Angel.

"Penelope! Angel! You did it!" Softy sobbed.

"Nice work, ladies!" Zippy shouted in joy. "Nice work!"

"You're champions!" Dum-Dum called out.

"Penelope trained Angel very well." Clyde told the rest of the Mob.

_Penelope indeed trained her dog, Angel, very well, and all that hard work and training really paid off at the end._

"Congratulations to everyone who competed!" The dog show host told all the contestants. "You all did a wonderful job!"

Penelope: "Excuse me, Mr. Dog Show Host, sir. Can I make an announcement please? I think it's ever so important."

"As you wish, my dear." The host agreed.

"Thank you." Penelope whispered.

"I would like to give away this grand prize and all the money I won as part of the grand prize, to the Humane Society of the United States, and to the ASPCA!" She announced. "There are many little ole doggies and kitty cats who don't have good homes or that have no homes at all, so please my friends, if you're searching for that little ole furry friend of yours… Always make adoption, your Number One option!"

_Congratulations, Penelope! And how humble of you to donate the prize you won to a charity that means something to you. That's what makes a true champion!_

After the dog show, the Ant Hill Mob joined Penelope and Angel backstage with smiles.

"Congratulations, Penelope!" Clyde told Penelope. "You and Angel were amazing!"

"Angel did a great job in both the dog show, and in saving you." Dum-Dum said as he gave Angel a gentle scratch behind the ears.

Pockets: "Not to mention she did great in helping us save you. How did she know what to do and how to find you?"

"All that comes from me training her to be a rescue animal." Penelope explained to the Ant Hill Mob. "I taught her how to sniff trails to find me, and how to protect me and get me out of trouble. Each time Angel sees me tied up, her first little ole instinct is to start getting me loose. I also taught my kitty, Snowflake, and my bunny rabbit, Rosie, to be rescue pets, too. They too, have saved me at times."

"We sure are impressed." Clyde complimented Penelope and Angel. "You came out as a champion today, and not just in the dog show, but on those misadventures that you encountered today, especially when we were captured after the first round. But we're proud of you for staying strong and finding hope again, even when it seemed like it was gone."

"I couldn't have done any of it without you fellas." Penelope whispered as she hugged the Ant Hill Mob. "I'm so blessed that you fellas are part of my life to serve as my true guardians and that you'll do anything to keep me safe and okay. I will always love you all."

"We will always love you, Penelope." Softy sniffed.

"Thank you boys for all you've done for me when I was in peril and I needed help." A tear of joy fell from her eye. "Thank you for continuing to do so today. You are my dearest heroes, and I'll always feel safe and happy with you."

"We'll do anything to keep you safe, Penelope." Clyde promised. "Even if it means putting our own lives in peril and going over-the-top once in a while."

_Like I mentioned before, with true friends such as the Ant Hill Mob, you'll never go wrong, Penelope._

"Penelope…" Pamela's voice echoed backstage.

"Mama?" Penelope said quietly as she heard her mother's voice.

"Penelope…" Paul's voice ringed.

"Dear Daddy…" Penelope was happy to hear the voice of her parents.

The spirits of Paul and Pamela returned with loving, warm smiles.

"Oh, mama! Dear Daddy!" Penelope cried in joy as she went into Pamela's loving arms as tears of joy and comfort fell from her eyes.

As Pamela held her daughter dearly, Paul laid a gentle hand on his little girl's shoulder.

"I feel so happy you returned to me." Penelope whispered. "I missed you. I miss the feel of a mother's loving embrace."

"I know how much you miss us, Penelope." Pamela said softly. "We're here now, like we always are."

"Penelope, from heaven above, we watched you find your courage and hope after you were rescued." Paul told Penelope with a proud smile. "And we watched as you bravely stood up to Mr. Sneekly, even after he lied and hurt you. We're very proud of you for that."

"And we're ever so proud of you for winning the dog show, but most of all, we're happy that you chose to give the prize away." Pamela whispered.

"Thank you, both." Penelope sniffed with happiness.

Pamela: "Penelope, promise us, that you will keep your courage when you are faced with difficult times or people who hurt you."

Paul: "And please continue to grow in grace and beauty, and always stay humble and kind in all of life's situations."

"I will…" Penelope promised her mother and father as Pamela gently cupped her cheek. "I promise you that I will do just that, no matter what. And with the Ant Hill Mob, my true guardians, with me, I will be strong and get past all of life's perils."

"You are our dearest, sweet little lamb…" Pamela whispered as she kissed Penelope's cheek. "Full of love, gentleness and innocence. Continue to be this way. We love you."

Pamela and Paul embraced Penelope one last time before fading.

"Farewell, mama! Farewell, Dear Daddy!" Penelope called as they faded. "Keep looking over me. I love you both!"

The Ant Hill Mob watched with smiles.

"What a crazy adventure." Penelope told the Mob as she turned her head and went to them. "But in the end, I came out as victorious. Again, I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you."

"You're welcome Penelope." Clyde replied as he, Penelope, Angel and the rest of the Mob prepared to leave the stadium. "Let's go home."

_And so, with the dog show over and Penelope reigning victorious as champion of the Dog Show and in her perilous misadventure, our heroes return home._

The Ant Hill Mob was now seen driving Chuggaboom home, with Penelope in the back seat enjoying the ride while Angel pokes her head out Chuggaboom's window.

_But as for that foul fiend, I simply must wonder._

Back at the Hooded Claw's hideout in the city, the Hooded Claw and the Bully Brothers' clothes were covered in tears from the piranhas.

"Blast those piranhas, but most of all blast that Pitstop, those meddling midgets and that stupid mutt!" The Hooded Claw growled in frustration.

But then he smiled an evil smile.

"My true identity may have been exposed, but it's not over yet. Not now, not until I get rid of that Penelope Pitstop and obtain that fortune of hers!"

He then laughed evilly.

**The End**

**Even though I already mentioned it in Chapter 3, I'm gonna say it again anyway. This entire fanfic is dedicated in loving memory of cartoon voiceover legend Gary Owens (May 10, 1934-February 12, 2015), who served as the show's narrator. Rest easy, Mr. Owens. You were an excellent narrator for "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop!" I hope you're having fun with the rest of your "Perils" Co-Stars, Paul Lynde, Mel Blanc, Don Messick and Paul Winchell, as well as William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, probably remembering those days of making the series, which wouldn't have been possibly without you or them! **


End file.
